Weakness
by SteamPunkSnowWhite
Summary: All her life, Sibyl wanted only to be a mother, but that dream has a cost. With the whole world conspiring against her, she will have to fight for her dream. Passed law, Ephors and the King himself, she will struggle for her happiness. One meeting with Dilios would change her life forever, and cause it to spiral out of control. There is no room for softness, not in Sparta.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Friendship

The sun had just barely risen over the horizon and the air was already hot. There was nothing but a soft, warm breeze that blew through the nearly empty city. The buildings were all made of stone, with old cloths that covered the open windows. It was not elegant or beautiful, but it was home. The structures were not made to be beautiful. They were made to be functional, and they were. They survived even the most hostile and unforgiving of storms. It was as if the gods themselves had wanted to test the strength of Sparta, and Sparta had endured. It was peaceful for now. The light of the sun made the whole city seem to glow orange and yellow, casting dark shadows where it did not yet touch. There were clothes and cloths hanging from lines outside of houses, and they shifted ever so slightly with the blowing wind.

The Citizens were still within their beds, enjoying the sweet embrace of sleep. It wouldn't be long now before everyone woke from their dreams and began their duties. For now, only Sibyl was awake and working. She was not a spartan by blood and the others did treat her differently for it. They were not cruel to her, but they did tend to look down upon her. At least, they used to. She had proven herself time and time again in the fire of combat and training. She fought better and was stronger than most of the women who were of Spartan blood. She also learned faster and retained the knowledge given to her. She wanted to contribute to Spartan society. They had accepted her when all others had left her for dead. She wanted to show that she was grateful for their mercy.

Her parent's had adopted her when she was still very small. She remembered none of her life before Sparta. She liked it that way. She could feel no sadness about a lost life if she could not recall any of it. As far as she was concerned, she was a Spartan and would always be a Spartan. However, she was greatly saddened by her lack of a husband. She was nearly seventeen years old, and was unaware of a single man who was even remotely interested in her. All of the friends she had while growing up now had husbands and children. This made her question what could be wrong with her. It was not horribly uncommon for a girl her age to still be unwed, but it was strange that not a single man had asked for her hand. At least, not that she was aware of.

She had shoulder-length hair, that blazed like fire against her lightly tanned skin. Women with red hair were few and far between in Sparta. Nearly everyone around her had brown or black hair. There were even a few blondes, but no women with red hair. She hated it most days. She felt as though her hair was the reason that people gave her strange looks. It was almost like a badge that showed her true blood, calling her out as a Spartan imposter. Her eyes looked like the deepest part of the ocean and always looked cold as ice. Freckles dotted across her cheeks, arms, chest and back. Though, with her tan, they were increasingly hard to see. Her skin had been very fair when she was first brought into Sparta and for the first few years, her skin burned terribly, but that didn't bother her anymore. Her womanly form was nearly perfect, or at least, that was what other women told her.

Her hips were wide and her body was strong. Her breasts were full and her curves were prominent. She did not weigh anymore or any less than anyone else her age. She was made of muscle, just like the rest of Sparta. She had been raised just as every Spartan woman. She knew how to fight, to read, to protect, to educate. Most importantly, she knew how to raise a child. She hoped that she was not too old to marry now. She knew it was a silly thought, but it still worried her, despite her best efforts to ignore it. Motherhood was the greatest gift she could receive in her life and she would be heart broken not to achieve it. She did not have to marry in order to be a mother, but it was preferred. She would want her child to have a father. It would also be slightly shameful for an unwed woman to bear a child. She did not wish to shame her family because of her selfish desires.

She sat on a small, wooden stool, beside her metal wash tub. The water within the tub was cold and made her hands go nearly numb from the prolonged contact. She was cleaning all of her clothing, as well as her brothers and fathers. Her mother had fallen ill a few years after they adopted Sibyl, and had lost her life. There was not a single tear at her funeral, not from anyone. It wasn't until later that night that Sibyl had gone home and wept while no one could see or hear her. There was no room for softness in Sparta. Her father had cried at the funeral, but it had been expected of him. They had been married for over ten years. It only made sense that he would shed tears at the loss of his wife, his love. Her older brother, Stelios, was strong enough for her and her father. While they both cried and mourned the loss, Stelios only continued his training, as he was supposed to. He was a true Spartan, hard and strong, even in the presence of death. She felt very privileged to have two strong men in her life. She knew that they would never let anything happen to her. She never feared that someone would harm her, for any reason.

She did not mind doing these chores, after all, they were her duty as a Spartan citizen. She never one talked back to her father. She was forever grateful that he and his late wife had saved her life. Petty chores were the least she could do for him. She had just hoped that, by this time in her life, she would be washing the clothing of her husband, not her family. Not that she was ungrateful to her family for taking her, but only, that she wished to have a family of her own. She laughed quietly to herself as she continued to look down at her work. She felt so silly, to be a girl of only sixteen, worrying about getting married.

There were swirls of color in the cold wash tub as the clothing intermingled. It was very clear as to which clothes were hers, and which were not. Hers were all white, and seemed to shine in the water. The rest of the clothing was a bright, scarlet red that seemed to look like blood in the water. She smiled down at her work. It seemed so funny, the colors of purity and war within the same place, intertwined. She had her scrubbing stone in her right hand and was working very hard to make sure that the Crimson's for her father and brother would be absolutely clean before she returned them. Actually, neither her brother nor father even knew she had their Crimson's. It was supposed to be a surprise for them before they awoke and had to go to training. She raised her head to look around, her icy eyes scanning everything. There was not a single person to be seen, or a sound to be heard. Her heart sank in her chest slightly and she scolded herself for being such a silly girl. There was no room for her feelings in this world, and it would be best for her to ignore them. Despite what she knew to be true, she longed to see him, her mystery man.

Love was almost irrelevant in Sparta. Yes, once women married their husbands, they learned to love them, but that took years for some, and others may not ever learn to love their spouse. Sibyl already loved a man, a man who she rarely saw, and almost never had a chance to speak to. Even when they could talk, they did not. They knew that others would assume adultery, and neither of them wanted that. She could not tell him, or anyone else of her feelings. She feared that it would bring great shame to her family. Even though it was wrong, she wanted to speak to him in private. She wanted to have a chance to learn his name, and be able hear him say hers. Her desires were very little, but they were impossible.

She took a deep breath and lowered her head again, looking back down at her hands as she continued to wash the clothing. The only reason she was up so early was in the hopes of seeing him. Lately, she had seen him walk through the city, taking a casual stroll in the early hours of the morning, while everyone else was asleep. She thought that maybe, today, she would be able to speak with him as he walked through. That is, if he did not see her as a foolish child.

He was a soldier, just like all Spartan men were soldiers. He was different, but not different enough for anyone but her to notice. His eyes did not always carry the look of rage and cruelty that the other men had. No, his eyes were soft and kind, of course, only when no one else was looking. Or at least, when he thought no one else was looking. She had heard other women speak of him when they would all wash clothes together, or take their lessons, or watch their children. They spoke of him as if he were still a boy, with a fragile heart. He was even rumored to be an excellent story teller. She hoped that she would find out if this was true or not.

The man's name was Dilios, and he was twenty-five years old. These were facts she had learned through her casual conversations with the other women. She wondered if that would be too old for her. Depending on the man and the preference of the girl's family, age gaps were not always favored. Sparta was not like the rest of Greece, where men married girls, barely half their age. She had friends who married men no more than five years older, and other friends who had age gaps of nearly fifteen years. She felt that eight wasn't too far, but that had nothing to do with him. It would be up to her father to decide wether she could marry or not. That is, if Dilios even wanted her at all.

He was a strong man, tall, lean, muscular, just like the other warriors. He had short, strawberry-blonde hair, and bright blue eyes. He looked a lot like herself, except for her hair was brighter and her skin had freckles. He had a short, well groomed beard and she found it extremely attractive. She had imagined stroking his beard with her tender fingers more than once in her life. These were also the more tame of her adolescent girl fantasies. She found herself wondering if he even knew who she was. After all, he had only smiled at her a time or two, or said a small 'hello' in passing. Nothing more than being polite. It was foolish to love a man whom one had never really spoken to, and hardly ever seen. Her feelings were true in her heart despite the world around her. It didn't matter how often she scolded herself or how hard she tried to deny herself, she could not shake her feelings for this man, this stranger.

"What on earth are you doing out here so early in the day? You should still be in bed." A mans voice called from behind her, with a small chuckle following his words.

Sibyl immediately turned around and used all of her self control to keep from smiling as she saw Dilios walking towards her. She could feel the warmth of a blush crossing her pale cheeks. If he questioned it, she would claim that it was because of the warm weather. She found herself wondering if she had brushed her hair that morning, or if her clothing was clean. These things usually never bothered her. Outer beauty meant very little in Sparta. It was strength, knowledge and power that mattered. She decided that she would try to sound as mature as she could.

"My father and brother wanted these to be cleaned and dried by mid-day. I had to get an early start." Sibyl said with a small smile as she looked up at the man. He was standing beside her now, only a foot or two to her left. Having him so close was making her heart race and she hoped that he would not see her discomfort. She tried to keep her eyes on his face, but it was hard. His beard was freshly trimmed and his smile was bright against his skin. She could feel the heat rushing to her cheeks and she finally looked down at her hands and trembled. She closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She balled her hands into fists to keep them from shaking in her nervousness. She had no idea why this was so difficult. She had been trained her whole life on how to ignore her emotions and hide them, to conceal them from the world. Perhaps this was more difficult because she was not Spartan by blood. She hoped that the man would not notice. She did not want to shame her family with her weakness.

"You are good to be awake so early to meet their needs. Your husband is a lucky man." Dilios said with a small laugh as he looked down at her. He had seen this girl around the city and could not deny the feelings he held for her. She was one of thee most beautiful Spartan girls that he had ever seen. He knew that she was a touch older than most unmarried girls. He was convinced that she had already been married. A woman like this could not have made it passed her sixteenth birthday without men breaking down the door for her hand in marriage. He could not deny his attraction to her even though he knew it was wrong. He had thought, several times, to ask for her hand in marriage. It was a strange, undeniable feeling and it kept him from sleep and from focus. He had seen her, but never had a chance to say more than two words to her. He knew she watched him when he walked through the city in the morning. He did it on purpose, hoping that she would come out and speak to him. It seemed like a hopeless dream, but now she was here. She was more radiant than the moon, making the stars in heaven pale with jealousy. It was more than he had ever imagined. Not only did she come out to meet him, showing that her attraction at least matched his own, but she did it subtly. She did not want to risk her reputation or his own. He found that very admirable in a woman.

"I do not have a husband." She said quietly as she raised a hand from the water and used her wrist to brush a lock of hair back from her eyes. His question was like a blade to her heart. Her deepest insecurity, and he had pointed it out so casually. She knew he did not mean harm, but she wished that he understood just how deeply his words cut. She did not want to get her face wet. The lock of hair fell right back into place before her eyes and before she could move it, Dilios did. He reached out and tenderly grabbed the lock of hair and tucked it behind her left ear. She could feel her face grow hot at this gentle contact. His skin was rough against hers, but his touch was gentle. She looked up at him sheepishly, perfectly aware that he could see the bright blush across her pale cheeks.

"That is strange, isn't it?" He said with a small laugh. "A young woman should have a husband by your age."

"They should…" She said sadly before shaking her head. "I only assume that it is because I am not a Spartan by blood." She said before she began pulling the clothing out of her wash tub, wringing them out, and hanging them to dry. She had to stand on her tip toes to reach the line to hang them. She did not look at Dilios as she worked. She did not want to talk about marriage with him. She refused to give her heart that hope, only to have it taken from her. Marrying this man was only a fantasy. It would never be allowed. Her father had denied every suitor up until this point and she knew not why. Her brother did not know why either, or at least, that is what he told her. She gasped as her fathers Crimson fell from her hands. Before she could even reach for it, Dilios had grabbed it. She could feel him standing behind her. Heat radiated off of him and warmed her back. Despite the warmth, a chill ran up her spine. He reached over her and straightened out the clothing on the line before stepping back from her. She had never been this close to a man that was not family. It made her very uncomfortable. She did not know this man and she did not know if she could trust him not to harm her. She had feelings for a man she had never had a full conversation with. As far as she knew, he could be a cold blooded killer who cared nothing for Sparta or Greece and just had a blood lust that was best fulfilled by Spartan society.

"I think your blood should have nothing to do with it." He said with a small smile before looking around. People were starting to emerge from their homes and he frowned before looking back at Sibyl. He could not ask her to see him again, not yet. He could not show the weakness of love, not now that others would witness it. He simply nodded his head and walked away from her. He did not say a word to anyone. Sibyl turned her head and watched him until he left her sight and she took a deep breath before looking down at her wash bucket. That could not have gone any worse if she had tried. He now must think that she's not even capable of the simplest of tasks. She would have had to re-wash her fathers Crimson if she had let it hit the ground. What a horrible first meeting this was. She made a fool of herself in front of the only man who had ever caught her eye. She felt as though she may be sick at any moment.

"Sibyl! What on earth are you doing out here so early?" Stelios laughed heartedly as he walked up to his younger sibling and wrapped an arm over her shoulders. "What is this, a blush? Who have you been meeting so early in the morning? How scandalous."

"You're not funny, Stelios." Sibyl snapped back angrily as she looked up at him. "It is just hot out this morning, that's all. Your Crimson should be dry by noon." She said with a tender smile. Though her smile was sincere, Stelios knew her well enough to know that she was still deeply saddened. He had known her since she was too small to stand on her own. He knew all of her secrets and knew how her mind worked. She was so unique. He loved being her brother, and being able to pick her brain.

"What's wrong?" He said gently. Sibyl shot him a nervous look and he smiled before adding. "You hide it well. You are a Spartan at heart, but I know you well enough to know you are upset." He finished quietly. Sibyl closed her eyes and nodded nervously. She was insecure about her emotions and it always made her angst when Stelios could see them within her eyes.

"Stelios… I am nearly seventeen. Why won't father let me marry?" She asked quietly. "I am wasting my youth. I should be married, with children. Is there something wrong with me? Doesn't anyone think I would make a good wife?"

"Sibyl…" He said with a deep sigh before shaking his head. "We have talked about this! It has nothing to do with you. Any warrior would be lucky to have you as a wife, after I made sure he would never hurt you, of course." He said sternly. This brought a smile to her face and it made him happy to see. "Father is just holding out for the best husband for you, I am sure. He wants to keep you safe just as badly as I do."

"I know you do, Stelios, I just-" She started speaking, when she saw their warriors walk by. 'They must be on their way to the training grounds' she thought. Towards the middle of the group, was Dilios. She felt her heart flutter and she couldn't help but to smile at him. She forgot for a moment that her brother was standing before her, and that he would likely see her reaction.

Stelios stared at her for a moment before he turned around and watched the warriors walk by. He would have to run to catch up with them, after finishing his conversation with Sibyl.

That was when he saw it. It was small, and no one would have noticed unless they were paying attention. Dilios smiled, a small, smirk of a smile, and nodded his head when he looked over at Sibyl. Stelios looked back at his sister and watched her smile back before lowering her head. She cleared her throat then and looked back up at her brother.

"I see what's going on here." Stelios said with a smile. "Is he who you saw this morning? He is, isn't he. I am going to give him a piece of my-"

"Stelios, please." Sibyl whispered quietly as she grabbed her brothers arm. "We just happened to run into one another this morning. That is all. I promise you that nothing shameful or disrespectful is going on here. He is just a soldier who happened to say good morning to me today. I promise."

"Even if that is true, I saw the way you looked at him. You know that you can not pick your husband, Sibyl!" He said angrily as he looked down at her. She glared up at him and hardened her face. She showed no weakness before him now. She knew that she could not.

"I do not wish to pick my husband." She snapped coldly. "I simply wish to have one. Is that so wrong of me?"

"No it's-"

"Stelios. You better go and catch up with the rest of the men." She said coldly before she turned around and picked up her wash bucket. She would have to carry it outside of the city walls to dump it. She was more than pleased to have to leave the city walls for a few moments. She needed fresh air and to get some distance from her brother before she said something she would regret.

"We are not done talking about this." He said sternly before he kissed her tenderly upon her forehead. Stelios did not mean to be cruel to her, but he knew he came across that way. He wanted nothing more than to keep her safe and happy. He was willing to do anything for that. He would sacrifice his own life if it would save hers. He cherished her above all others. He knew she was his weakness and that was why he was cold to her and treated her harshly. If anyone else knew the nature of his feelings, they would surely use it against him. He turned and walked from sight quickly. She took a deep breath and sighed before she carried her water to the outskirts of the city to empty it. She smiled and bowed her head politely to every man and woman she passed in the city. She smiled to herself as she dodged the running boys and girls on their way to and from their studies. She could not wait until she could have a child of her own.

Thoughts ran through her head too quickly for her to completely comprehend as she worked on her chores. What if Dilios would ask her father for her hand in marriage? That would be a dream come true, but it was only a fantasy. He seemed to be interested in her. He was so unlike other Spartan men. He was kind, gentle, and compassionate. Surely, the other soldiers would ridicule him if they knew of his true nature. She was not going to tell anyone. As it was, it killed her that Stelios knew of her darkest secret now. All he had to do to destroy her would be to tell their father how she felt about this older man. She pulled her wash bucket back, and swung it forward, tossing the water upon the sand. She watched the liquid get absorbed into the ground as it dried, completely lost in her thoughts. She didn't know how long she had been standing there, staring at nothingness before she finally heard her name being called from the distance.

"Sibyl!" A friendly voice called from behind her. She quickly turned around and a small smile crossed her lips as she looked at her friend who was hurrying toward her.

Just like all spartan women, Nikita wore a very plain, white robe. They had very few decorations or colors. The only real color in this place was that of the Crimson's that the men wore. Nikita was another one of the young women who had been graced with a beautiful face and strong form. She had curly, brown hair that just barely passed her shoulders. Her eyes were a golden color that reminded Sibyl of honey. She smiled to herself for a moment as she thought. Honey was the perfect way to describe Nikita. Despite all of their laws and regulations, she was very kind hearted and caring. She could not hide her feelings like the rest of Sparta. She was three years younger than Sibyl, and had not worried about finding a husband yet. Surely, she would get a husband without hesitation. She was perfect and of Spartan blood. No man would want to deny her. She found herself wondering if Dilios would want her when she was of age.

"Nikita, what brings you here?" Sibyl called tenderly as she held the wash tub against her side. Nikita was her closest friend. As long as she could remember, they had always been friends. They were nearly inseparable as children. They would be still, if it weren't for chores and other obligations. Even so, they frequently watched children together and discussed what they hoped for their futures. Sometimes, they would sneak out of their homes during the dead of night. Quiet as mice, they would sneak to the roof of the council chamber, daydream and gossip together.

"Sibyl, you must hurry. You are late for our lesson. They are speaking of the Ephors and we really should be there." Nikita said breathlessly as she reached out a hand for Sibyl. Nikita was always so good to Sibyl. If it weren't for her, Sibyl never would have made it to any of her lessons on time.

"Ephors? Why on earth would they do that?" Sibyl asked nervously. She had seen women come back from being chosen Oracles. They are all hollow shells of girls. Their souls were taken from them and destroyed by the sexual abuse and drugs forced upon them. Being an Oracle is supposed to be one of the greatest honors for Spartan women. Sibyl could think of no worse hell. She had decided a long time ago, the first time she understood what an Oracle was, that she would rather run from Sparta than have to live her life that way.

"They are taking their new Oracles in a few days time." Nikita said breathlessly. "You and I are among the girls that have been looked at to be chosen. Hurry, we must go now." She said frantically.

"Oh.. I… Alright." Sibyl said nervously as she grabbed her friend's hand and the two of them hurried back into the city. She was nervous as he headed back with Nikita. Her stomach was in knots and doing flips. This was the second time today that she felt as though she would be sick at any moment. The group of young women standing before their queen, Gorgo, were all completely silent and intently listening to the words of their young queen. It had only been about two years prior that Leonidas took Gorgo as his bride. She was not much older than most of the women she spoke to, but they all had nothing but respect for her.

"It is a high honor and privilege to be an Oracle for the Ephors. They have always done their best to lead Sparta to victory, no matter what the cost." Gorgo said with a strong force behind her words. Her voice was soft, but had the commanding tone that a queen should always have. Her eyes were hard and cold, but had a softness behind them. Anyone who knew Gorgo could tell that she was not fond of the Ephors or the customs involving them. However, it was law, and no one in Sparta was above the law. Not even the king and queen. Sibyl caught Gorgo's eye and the queen almost smiled. The corner of her lips slightly turned up before she looked back at the rest of the girls and began speaking again. Her speech was short, and Sibyl was thankful for that. She did not want to think about the Ephors, and she found herself wondering what she would have to do for the Ephors to not want her. Perhaps the fact that she was not a Spartan by blood would be enough to keep them from taking her.

"You are all dismissed. Go and tend to your families and the children. I will see you all tomorrow for combat training." Gorgo said with a tender smile before she directed her eyes towards Sibyl again. "May I have a word with you, Spartan?" She requested sternly before she stepped back from the group of girls and walked to the edge of the wheat field, with her back to Sibyl.

Sibyl closed her eyes tightly and winced. She knew that she was going to be spoken to and scolded. The look of distaste for the Ephors must have been written upon her face when Gorgo was speaking. She would have to apologize for her lack of respect for their customs in Sparta. After all, she was just lucky to have somewhere to live and call home. If it had not been for her mother and father, she never would have survived to see her sixth birthday. She walked towards her queen and stood beside the woman with a sheepish look upon her face. She bowed her head respectfully before looking over at Gorgo.

"You wish to speak to me, M'lady?" Sibyl said quietly as she lowered her eyes to the ground. She could see the wind rippling through the waves of Wheat and feel it brushing against her bare skin.

"It does not take a genius to see that you are displeased with the idea of being taken as an Oracle." Gorgo said quickly before looking at the younger girl. It was no secret that Gorgo was fond of Sibyl. When Gorgo was a younger woman, before she married Leonidas, she used to watch Sibyl and teach her. When her mother died, Gorgo was the only teacher that Sibyl had left. They loved one another as sisters would and their bond was unmistakable. True, Gorgo was only a few years older, but she was a wonderful guide for Sibyl.

"It is true… The thought of being with the Ephors makes me sick to my stomach." Sibyl admit honestly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I do know that it is not possible for a woman to pick her husband, but father refuses to allow me to marry." She said with a sad sigh. "He refuses every man who has offered to take my hand. I know that he thinks it is my fault that mother died. I was so young and not able to care for her. Perhaps if I had been born of Spartan blood, and had learned earlier in life, she would still be alive-"

"Stop. Do not blame yourself for your mothers passing, Sibyl. You were only a child of seven years old. Even with proper Spartan training, you still would not have been able to save her life. Not even our most gifted healers could help your mother." Gorgo snapped sharply before reaching over and placing a hand on the girls shoulder tenderly. "Why did you mention that it is not possible for a woman to pick her husband? Is there a man that you desire?" She asked curiously.

"Ooh.. I…" Sibyl laughed quietly before shaking her head. "I do not know, my queen. I have only spoken to him once or twice. My affections for him are completely unrequited and I am sure that he does not even know my name. He would have no interest in a silly girl like me. There is no room for softness in Sparta, and it is my biggest weakness. I shame the Spartan name and I am sorry."

"There is no room for love when it comes to protecting Sparta." Gorgo agreed quietly before smiling and tenderly squeezing the girls shoulder. "But… There is room for love in the quiet of the night, or the safety of your own home. I do love my husband, Sibyl. There is hope that you will also love your husband when you marry."

"We both know that me marrying is nothing but a dream." Sibyl laughed quietly. "Father is going to give me to the Ephors in less than seven days time… That will be my life. No man will want me when I come back home, if I come back home." The words that Sibyl spoke had never been uttered aloud to her, but she knew them to be true. It was the only way to explain her fathers behavior. He wanted her to be an Oracle, to bring honor to their family. He felt as though adopting a child not of Sparta was shameful, but her mother had insisted upon it.

"We will see about that, Sibyl." Gorgo said quietly before she removed her hand from the girls shoulder and quickly walked away, heading back to her own home, no doubt. It was almost mid-day and Sibyl knew that she should be getting home so that she could clean and start preparing the evening meal for her brother and father.

Meanwhile, Dilios had sat down for a moment, breathing heavily. He had finished his rotation of training and grabbed a cup of water. He raised it to his lips before taking a few deep drinks and setting the metal cup down against the stone steps he sat upon. He rested his arms upon his knees as he watched the next group of men start their training. With swords and spears in hand, Dilios couldn't help but to smile at the view. No wonder other greeks saw Spartans as decedents of Hercules. They were truly a force to be reckoned with. The fates that awaited their enemies were always some of the most gruesome.

"Dilios." Stelios said with a bright smile as he sat beside the man. Stelios was a few years younger than Dilios, but not by enough to make their friendship assumed to be physical.

"Hello." Dilios responded hoarsely before taking another drink.

"I saw how you looked at my sister this morning." He said with a small smile. He was simply trying to give Dilios a hard time, for looking at a woman with soft eyes. He did not want to assume anything, rather, he wanted to just get a feel for what was going on around him. He could tell that his statement made Dilios uncomfortable and he smiled to himself. It would not bother him to see his sister marry Dilios. He was a good man and a strong warrior. He would make a great husband for any Spartan woman he should choose, even if that woman was his Sibyl.

"I do not know what you are speaking of." Dilios responded sternly before throwing a sharp glare at the younger man. "It would be wise of you not to make things up, Stelios…" He warned.

"She seemed very nervous when I mentioned your name this morning. You may deny your own feelings, if there are any, but she can not deny hers. I know my sister well enough to know that she fancies you. However, I am confused as to why. She is just a child, someone whom you've never had any contact with. Why does she care about you at all?"

"I do not know. If I could tell you, I would. I would not risk something like this destroying our friendship. We've only ever spoken this morning. I asked where her escort was at such an early hour. She told me she was washing clothing for you and your father. She did make a point to tell me that she did not have a husband as of yet. I thought that piece of information was rather strange. She has a strong body, wide hips…" His voice trailed off for a moment as he found himself thinking about her and wondering how soft her skin would feel beneath his rough hands. He cleared his throat, looking at Stelios with discomfort on his face before finishing his sentence. "I find it hard to believe that no one has asked for her hand."

"Oh, they have. They practically break down the door with their numbers. Father has denied all of them. I think he is going to offer her to the Ephors as an Oracle. It is a high honor and she should be pleased. Father has not told her this yet. He thinks it would be best if she were surprised." Stelios said with a small smile before he took a drink of water and set down his own cup. "Only time will tell now. Hopefully, she is as pleased with it as we are."

"I am sure she will be…" Dilios said quietly before looking away from his friend. He knew that speaking to her was a bad idea. The idea of her being given to those diseased, old mystics made him furious. He wanted to talk some sense into her father, to have her marry before it was too late. He knew that this would be a worthless thing to do. He would warn her. He had to. He wanted to see how she felt about this. True, there were some girls who did want to live among the Ephors, but most of them were taken by force. Just the thought of having to watch Sibyl dragged from the city, kicking and screaming, drove a knife through his chest. He knew that he would be unable to watch that scene. He would try to stop them, and be punished by the highest of powers for his insolence. He did not want to see her in any pain or misery. He felt as though he could barely breath and he had no idea why this was all bothering him so deeply. How had this young girl weaseled herself into his heart so quickly? He had not even noticed her entering his soul, but there she was, bright and beautiful, the sight of everything he had ever hoped to have. She would be his wife and the mother of his children, or he would never have either. It was a poor decision for a Spartan man to make, but it was his choice none the less.

After the training had ended and the sun was starting to go down, the men head towards their barracks for the night. All of them were sore, tired, bruised and wounded. All of them had smiles on their faces, and even helped each other to walk when necessary. It was glorious, to see how they all cared for one another while still being able to strengthen one another in combat.

Dilios had faired fairly well on this day. His right eye was blacked and swollen, he had a large gash across his back, which had been cleaned and bandaged earlier in the evening. There were minor bruises and cuts lining his arms and legs, but those were hardly any more than a minor annoyance.

"You fought well today!" Stelios said with a small smile on his face as he hit Dilios upon the back. Dilios winced slightly, but did his best not to let his pain show upon his face for more than a second.

"Well, I at least faired better than yourself." Dilios laughed heartedly as he looked at the younger man. Stelios had been rather abused in their training today. The whole left side of his face was dark purples and greens, and his eye was swollen shut. His lip was broken and had finally stopped bleeding. His nose was broken and the bruising around his chest suggested at least one cracked rib. It was amazing how much damage Spartan men could take, and still laugh and smile with one another at the end of the day. The bond that these men shared was truly something to be admired by the rest of Greece.

"That you did. I am still walking with my own strength. Today has been a good day." Stelios said with a wide smile. His teeth were stained with his own blood and made them look pink. He turned his head to look forward and suddenly the smile left his face. Nikita and Sibyl were standing in a dark corner, whispering to one another, just outside the reach of the torches.

"Is that not your sister?" Dilios asked quietly as he directed his attention towards the two young girls as well. He wished that Stelios was not beside him. He wanted nothing more than to go over to the young girl, and speak to her again, as he had that morning. He hoped that he would get another chance to speak to her while no one else was around.

"Sibyl!" Stelios called with a loud, angry tone of voice. The girl immediately stopped talking and looked over at her brother with wide eyes before she hurried towards the two men, bowing her head respectfully.

"Stelios-"

"What on earth are you doing out at this hour?" Stelios demanded angrily as he grabbed her right arm, hard. She could feel his grip bruising her, and she did not know why he was so upset with her.

"I lost track of time, Stelios. I'm sorry!" She said quietly as she looked up at her brother, trying to tug her arm from his grasp. "It will not happen again, I promise."

"It better not. You are to be an Oracle, Sibyl! You can not be offered to the Ephors unless you are still pure. I do not want a man to take advantage of you during the secrecy of night." Stelios said sternly before finally releasing her arm. He knew he had done it again. He only wanted to protect her, but he frightened her and was going to make her hate him. He could not apologize, not now, not in front of Dilios. She pulled her arm tightly to her chest, rubbing the bruised area with her other hand. Her eyes shifted towards Dilios before she turned and walked away from the men without another word. She could feel the tears stinging her eyes after what her brother had said to her. She did not want anyone to see her cry.

"You do not know that will be her fate!" Nikita yelled angrily as she walked towards the two men. She was much shorter than Stelios, but she was not intimidated by him in the least. She stood before him, glaring up at him. Anger and hate burned within her beautiful eyes. There was no emotion on her face, but when she spoke, her words cut through the air like a sword.

"We all know that she is not a Spartan by birth or blood. There is a very small chance that the Ephors will even want to take her among them." She hissed coldly. "The only man I can think of that would be worse than the Ephors, is you." She said bitterly. "After seeing the way that you treat your sister, the way you try to control her, the way you disrespect her. I feel sorry for any Spartan woman who is forced to be your wife." She said before turning on the balls of her feet and looking at Dilios. "You, on the other hand, would make any Spartan woman happy. I can see it in your eyes, that you are not so cold…" She said with a small smile. "No wonder Sibyl is fond of you. Did you know that? I suppose you did. After all, it is plainly written on her face and in her eyes." Nikita said with a small laugh before shaking her head.

"How dare you speak to me in such a shameful way!" Stelios argued, his own temper rising as he looked at the younger girl.

"How dare I? How dare you!" Nikita shouted back as she glared up at him again. "She has never done anything but love you and your father with all of her heart. She does everything you ask, obeying your every whim. She bends over backwards and runs herself ragged just to please both of you, because you took her in to your home. I know that your brother hates her, he has hated her ever since her mother died." Nikita hissed, her lower lip beginning to quiver. "Do you have any idea how frightened she is to be an Oracle? She cries herself to sleep at night and prays to the gods that the rumors are not true. You just brought hell down upon her and she will suffer every day until she is brought back home, a ghost. I hope you are proud of yourself."

"Does she really hate the Ephors so deeply…?" Stelios asked quietly, his temper cooling slightly. He did not mean to hurt his sister in such a way. Was it true? Was he the biggest cause of her unhappiness?

"Try talking to her once in a while, maybe you would know." Nikita said softly. She no longer felt the need to be hostile. She had gotten her point across. She could see it in Stelios' face.

"Stelios, go find your sister. I will take Nikita home." Dilios said sternly before looking at the man. Stelios nodded and turned his back to them before walking in the direction his sister had gone. Dilios let out a deep breath before looking down at Nikita with a tender smile.

"I was right, you're not like the other men, are you?" She said with a small smile upon her face.

"You are right, but you had better not tell anyone." He said with a quiet chuckle before gently grabbing her arm and leading her towards the inner city. "Where is your home? I do want to make sure you arrive safely. The Ephors claim their Oracle soon and that is when adultery happens. Women who would rather be whores for warriors than the Ephors. The lesser of two evils, I suppose."

"I do not suppose you are walking me home so that we may have small talk and discuss evils. Nor do I believe it is because you want to keep me safe from the men that lurk in the darkness." She said with a small smile.

"You are very clever and very observant." He said with a small smile before looking over at her. "You are correct. I need a favor from you."

"I don't think I know you quite well enough for that, Spartan. I think you should be asking Sibyl for favors, not I." She teased before looking up at him as she walked. "What is it that you need?"

"I would like… For you to arrange a secret meeting for myself and Sibyl." He whispered softly before pulling her arm gently and leading her into one of the dark corners of the city, unlit by the torches that burned. The air around them was cooler now and he had goosebumps across his skin. He did not know if they were from the cold or from his excitement.

"A secret meeting..?" She whispered quietly. "Why on earth would I help you with that? For all I know, you want to deflower her to keep her from the Ephors."

"Would you blame me if I did?" He said quietly. He looked at her with deep, intense eyes with a passion that seemed to burn within them.

"I would not. I know how she fears that fate. If you would save her from it, I would consider you a hero, despite what others would think."

"I will not touch her without her consent, or without asking her father for her hand in marriage first. I just need to speak with her again, with no one else around. It was the happiest moment of my life, when I got to speak to her this morning. She was beautiful, full of energy and life. She hides who she is, as we all do, because we are Spartan. I just want to speak with her while neither of us must hide anything from anyone."

"I will help you, Spartan." She said with a playful smile before placing her hand upon his own. "But only because I know how much she fancies you, and… And because I can see that you speak nothing but truth. It is in your eyes. You will make a fine husband."

"You are very kind. Thank you."

"Do not thank me yet. I will do my best to set up a meeting for the both of you. Find me tomorrow, around dawn. I will be watching the children near the heart of the city." She said quietly. "I will know then if you two can meet or not. I will let you know when and where. If I do not have a plan for you at dawn, find me at dusk. I will be near the edge of the city, working on my reading."

"You really are rather devious, aren't you?" He said with a small laugh.

"You act as thought I've never broken any rules before." She said with a playful tone. She crinkled her nose as she smiled before she turned from him and pulled her arm from his grasp. "I can make it home safely, I assure you. I will see you tomorrow, Dilios. I am sure that we will have plenty to discuss. Have a good evening, Spartan." She said coldly before she walked into the darkness, towards her own home. Dilios smiled to himself as he watched her go. She was his only hope of getting to see Sibyl outside of her home, without her brother near. The hope that was in his heart was more powerful than anything he had ever felt before. He prayed to the gods that Nikita would be able to pull off what he requested be done.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The Heart of a Spartan

Dawn had never seemed to take so long to arrive before. Sibyl had been unable to sleep. She lay in her bed, tossing and turning, waiting for the first light of day to peak through her window. She stared at the moon, watching it slowly move through the blackened sky. She sat up and took a deep breath, wrapping her arms around herself nervously. She looked towards her door and her heart sank in her chest slightly. She wondered how upset Stelios was going to be with her today.

When he had arrived home, shortly after herself, he was frantically pounding on her door, demanding to speak with her. It was one of the very few times in her life that she had denied her brother's wishes. She assumed that he was going to be furious with her. She looked down at her arm, where he had grabbed her the night before. She let out a deep sigh as she rubbed the bright purple bruise upon her arm. She was slightly curious to know why he wanted to talk to her so desperately. She shook her head before tossing her blankets off of herself before she finally stood up. She shivered as her bare feet touched the stone floor. She sat upon the edge of her bed and quickly tied her sandals upon her feet before standing up again. She looked around the bare, stone room before shaking her head. She ran her fingers through her hair lazily, not really concerned with how she looked. Then she thought that she may see Dilios again. Her heart bead rapidly at the thought and she decided to put just a little more effort into how her hair looked. She brushed her hair quickly before setting her brush down upon her wooden shelf and hurrying out of her room. She tiptoed down the hallway and outside of her house. She looked up at the sky before closing her eyes and smiled as the sunlight warmed her face. Perhaps today wouldn't be such a bad day after all.

She stepped out to the clothes line and groaned. Neither her brother, nor her father had asked her about their Crimson's, but here they hung, looking clean and brilliant in the morning light. She reached up and pulled them down, folding them over her arm before looking around. She had hoped that Dilios would be taking his usual morning stroll, but she could not see him. There was no one else awake at this hour and it made her slightly nervous. The Ephors were taking their Oracle within seven days time, and soldiers lurked everywhere. She felt her face grow hot as the fear in her heart grew and made her worry.

She heard voices then, and it startled her. She could hear a man and a woman in the distance. They seemed to be whispering, but their voices carried through the empty city this morning. She nervously set the Crimson's down upon a near by table and slowly walked towards the voices. She did not know what they were talking about, but their words were growing increasingly more clear to her. She stopped walking and leaned against the wall of a building, to keep out of sight. She felt slightly guilty for eavesdropping, but why on earth were two people whispering in such early hours of the day?

"She can not know a thing. You have to promise me." The man said sternly.

"She will not know anything. I promise you, Spartan. If there is one thing I am good at, it is keeping secrets." The woman replied with a small laugh. Sibyl felt her heart sink in her chest. She knew that voice. It was Nikita.

Sibyl nervously peeked around the corner of the building and her eyes went wide as she saw Dilios speaking with Nikita.

"Thank you." He said quietly before he leaned down and kissed her upon her forehead. "I will find you after sunset if you do not find me before then." He said before he turned from her and began walking the other direction.

"I assure you, I will have good news for you when I see you tonight." She said before turning and walking the opposite direction.

Sibyl turned back and rested her back against the stone wall. Her heart was shattering within her chest and she could feel the tears stinging her eyes. She had to get home before she began crying in public. She did not want to shame her family in such a way. How could he do this to her? He seemed like he wanted to be with her… Maybe she really was just a silly girl with a stupid crush. She turned and walked towards her own home, stumbling slightly. She seemed to have almost no control over her legs and they threatened to collapse beneath her as she walked. She could hardly see through the tears that blinded her vision as she walked. She remembered to grab the Crimson's, and her hands trembled as she grabbed them. She held them tight against her chest so that she would not have fear of dropping them upon the ground. She would find a way to get the wrinkles out of them later, when she could focus clearly on the world around her.

She never imagined that a near stranger could cause her so much pain without even trying to. She had only ever felt such agony when she lost her mother as a child. She felt as though her heart may stop beating at any moment. She preferred that. Death seemed like it would be much easier than this. She had no idea how long this feeling would last, but she wanted it to go away. How was she supposed to keep her Spartan reserve if she would burst into tears each time she saw Dilios? She did not want to explain her feelings to anyone.

She managed to fumble with the door handle of her home and pull it open. To her great despair, her brother stood there.

"Sibyl what-…" Stelios stopped mid-sentence as he looked down at her. He took the Crimson's from her arm and set them upon the chair beside the door. He looked down at her before cupping her face with his rough hands. "Sibyl, why are you crying?"

"I.. I'm not.. C-crying." Sibyl said sternly as she bit her lower lip in order to make it stop quivering. She did not want to disappoint him by letting him see her cry. She knew that she wasn't convincing him of anything, but she knew that she had to try.

"Sibyl, do not lie to me." Stelios said sternly before he leaned down and kissed her roughly upon her forehead. "Just tell me why you are crying." He said quietly.

"I… Oh, Stelios, I am such a stupid girl." She said as she finally broke down and stopped holding her tears back. Tears began streaming down her face as she reached up, childishly, and wrapped her arms around her brothers neck as she began to sob against his bare chest. Stelios wrapped his arms around her quickly before he picked her up and turned around, kicking the door shut behind himself before he walked with her into her room. He sat upon her bed and held her upon his lap. He was not going to scold her for showing her feelings, but he wanted to know what hurt her so deeply. When she was a child, she had not cried at their mother's funeral. She had held her reserve until arriving home. He heard her cry for days within the safety of her own bedroom, but she never cried in public. She did not today either, but she would have if others had been around this morning. He only sighed and stroked her hair tenderly. He could feel her hot tears dripping down his chest as she continued to cry.

"Tell me what happened…"

"I can't. You will be so upset."

"Seeing you upset is making me upset, Sibyl. I want to know who did this to you."

"No one did it, at least, not… Not on purpose." She whispered quietly before she finally pulled away from his chest. She pulled herself from his lap and sat beside him, looking down at her hands as she struggled to calm herself and stop crying.

"What happened, Sibyl?"

"I can't tell you. You will be mad if I tell you. I do not want anyone to get hurt because of me." She said sternly as she wrapped her arms around herself.

"Even in your own defeat, you protect the one who has done this to you. You truly are a Spartan, little sister." He said with a teasing tone. He wanted to do anything he could to make her stop crying. He decided now was as good a time as any to tell her what he had been trying to say last night. "I am going to speak with Father. Nikita told me of your distaste for the Ephors last night."

"She what?" Sibyl asked sternly as she looked up at her brother. The look on her face was as hard as stone. She was trying to hide her hate for Nikita at this moment. Her closest friend had now betray her twice in two days. Not only did she tell Stelios of her deepest secret, she was now sneaking around with the man whom she knew Sibyl was fond of.

"She told me that you would rather die than be an Oracle. I am going to speak to father and convince him to let you marry." Stelios said with a small smile as he placed his hand upon the back of her head. "Now, please, dry your eyes. Tell me what happened."

"I know that you already know that I have feelings for Dilios…" She whispered nervously as she looked up at him. "I saw him and Nikita speaking this morning, whispering while no one else was awake. They spoke of keeping secrets from a woman, who I can only assume to be me. They said they were going to be having a meeting with one another after sunset today. He kissed her upon her head before he left. I know that I am a stupid girl, Stelios, but it broke my heart." She said as a tear slid down her cheek against her will. "Is it so wrong to want to be loved…?"

"No." He said sternly, gritting his teeth. The news his sister just told him made him furious. He was going to have a conversation with Dilios about his behavior. It was one thing to want to speak to a woman before making her your wife, but he was now dancing with swords. Nikita was too young a girl for him to wed. Anyone in Sparta would agree.

"Stelios, please, I beg you, do not tell anyone and do not hurt Dilios." She pleaded softly as she looked up at her brother. "That would be more than I could bear."

"Even after how you feel, how the tears stream down your face, you would protect that man?" He said with a deep sigh before shaking his head. "I will not speak to him of this, but if I see him talking to you, or Nikita. I will not hesitate to put an end to it."

"I understand…" She said quietly before she stood up and straightened out her dress. "I… Had better go find Nikita. We are watching the children together today." She said quietly as she quickly left her bedroom.

Stelios did not move, not for a long while. He wondered why all of this bothered him so much. He did not feel like it was purely because he had seen his sister crying. There was more to it, but he could not place it. He decided that the best thing to do, would be to ask Dilios what was going on. No lies, no tricks, no long way around. He wanted to know what was going on once and for all. This would be the ultimate test of Dilios' character. He stood up and quickly left his sisters room. He knew that he had to head to the training grounds before anyone noticed he was not yet there.

The day was hard for Sibyl. She had to conceal her feelings about Nikita the entire time she was with her. It was painful to suppress her feelings. She could hardly breath and every word she spoke made her feel as though she was going to be sick. She could not believe that her best friend had betray her in such a way. She had never expected Nikita to be that kind of person. Perhaps their friendship was coming to a close as both girls got older.

Sibyl and Nikita stood side by side around noon, watching the children run and pay in the courtyard.

"Sibyl, would you like to have one of our talks tonight?" Nikita asked quietly before smiling up at her friend. She noticed that Sibyl had been acting rather strange today, but she didn't know why. She wondered if Stelios had told her about the Ephors last night after he went after her. What could he have said to her to make her so cold and distant? All of her motions were rigid and stiff. She was usually so graceful and elegant, but, today, she seemed to be trembling and shaking with even the smallest of tasks. Nikita knew something was wrong with her. Perhaps she would talk to her friend this evening before Dilios met them.

"I do not think that would be wise, Nikita." Sibyl snapped sternly before she looked down at her friend, a hard frown upon her lovely face. Nikita was taken back by the coldness of her friend. She had not ever known Sibyl to be like this. Not even when her mother died.

"Why not? There's nothing going on tonight, Sibyl. I think you and I need to have a talk about some things." Nikita urged quietly. She did not want to let Dilios down. He would be upset if she could not arrange for him to meet Sibyl. She knew that seeing him would make her friend happy, even if Sibyl did not know it yet.

"The Ephors come within the next week, Nikita. It is not safe for either of us to be out after sunset, not until the Oracle is chosen. I, for one, do not want to have my virtue taken by a soldier in the dead of night, do you?" Sibyl snapped angrily. She was starting to lose her patience with Nikita. Usually, her friend's childishness was refreshing and a nice change from the rest of Spartan society, but today, she could not stand it.

"Please, Sibyl." Nikita pleaded quietly as she grabbed the older girls hand tightly and squeezed as she looked up at her. "I am having a problem that I could really use your help with. Please, Sibyl, you are the only friend that I have. The only one who will not scold me for having feelings or being confused. I have no one else to talk to. Please, meet with me… I need you." Nikita whined as tears began to swell in her eyes.

"Fine…" Sibyl said sternly as she pulled her hand away from the younger girl. "I think you and I have much to discuss, as much as I do not want to discuss any of it. We will meet at our usual place." She said coldly before she turned from her friend and began to watch the children running around again. She missed her childhood then. Everything was so easy and simple. Her feelings were never confused as a child. She would give anything to make the pain in her heart and confusion in her head disappear. Nikita smiled brightly to herself as she wiped her tears away. Sure, others would judge her for her emotions, but they had been fake. At least, the tears were fake. She had known Sibyl long enough to know that tears are the easiest way to get her to agree to anything. Now, she just had to see Dilios and tell him where he needed to go in order to see Sibyl.

Stelios had just arrived at the training ground and looked around quickly, trying to spot Dilios. He was on the far end of the sandy field, sparring with a man who was close to his age. Stelios hurried through the crowd of training men and quickly took place as Dilios' sparring partner.

"Well, well, isn't this a surprise? It's been a long time since I've been able to spar with fresh blood." Dilios said with a laugh as he raised his spear and looked at the younger man with a smile upon his dirty face. Dilios already had a cut across his left side and a bruise across his right cheek.

"How about we make this more interesting?" Stelios said with a laugh before raising his own spear. The two men began to circle each other, never, not even once, breaking eye contact. The cool air was washing against their bare chests and arms. They could hear the sounds of fighting, sword clashing, and shields blocking all around them, but it did not matter. They were both intently focused upon each other. Neither wanted to be the first to make a mistake.

"What did you have in mind?" Dilios asked with a curious smile before he lunged forward and swung his spear toward Stelios. Stelios stepped back and blocked the spear with his own before smiling.

"If I draw first blood, you have to tell me why you were sneaking around with Nikita." Stelios said with a bright smile. Dilios froze for a moment and just stared at the younger man. His surprise and discomfort was plainly written across his bearded face.

"How did you know about that?" Dilios hissed angrily as he looked at the younger man.

"That does not matter, Dilios. Do you agree to these terms of engagement?" Stelios said with a smile as he gripped his spear higher.

"I agree, but, if I draw first blood, you have to tell me of what interest it is to you if I speak to Nikita. She is an unmarried woman. I see nothing wrong with it." Dilios said sternly before adjusting his grip on his spear.

"May the best man get his answer." Stelios said with a small laugh before charging towards Dilios.

The men fought for what seemed like hours. Neither of them took a blow that drew blood, though both men were covered in bruises. Stelios was trembling as he continued to stand. He had a large cramp in his right thigh and just the act of standing pained him greatly. He did not let his pain show upon his face. Dilios had a severely bruised ribcage, but did not show his discomfort either. The two men had been locked in combat for so long that they hardly noticed the crowd of men surrounding them, edging them on. They wanted to see blood. They wanted to see which man would win this fight. Most had placed their bet on Dilios, who was an older man and therefor much more experienced in combat. However, there were a few that placed their bet on Stelios, who had a fire of rage within his eyes as he focused on the older man.

"Make your move." Stelios coaxed with a bitter laugh as he looked at the older man. It was obvious that they were both tired, but neither man wanted to be the first one to back down. The noise of the mens cheers surrounded them, blocking out all other sounds. They both suddenly changed, and they were not sparring anymore. They no longer wanted blood, they wanted victory. They wanted to destroy one another, and the audience around them made them want it all the more. They both raised their spears, and were about to make one final clash of weapon and flesh, but they were stopped.

"Stelios! Dilios!" The large, booming voice of Leonidas called over the crowd of men. The soldiers all parted like the sea as Leonidas walked towards the center of the sparring circle. He reached out with both of his hands, placing one on each of the men's necks. He smiled at them approvingly as he laughed.

"My king." The men said in unison before lowering their heads in respect.

"Men, you have both fought very valiantly. Lay down your weapons and head back to the barracks for the night. There is no need for blood. You have both shown your true strength. Six hours you two have been fighting. Not only are you both standing, but neither of you endured a serious wound from your opponent. If that is not the truest form of Spartan power, I do not know what is."

The men listened to their king, but they were bitter about it. They both dropped their spears, which made no noise as they hit the sand upon the ground. They focused on one another intently, neither of them wanting to leave this match here. There was no reason for them to want to wound one another, except maybe to take pride in having done so.

"Come now, men, the sun is setting. It is time to get back." Leonidas said sternly as he looked at both of them. "I do not want to hear about you two fighting outside of the arena, either. We fight as a single unit. We can not do that if our men are trying to fight against one another." He said coldly before releasing both men and turning back, walking out of the training area.

Neither men were willing to oppose their king. They both stood up straight and walked off of the area shoulder to shoulder. They did not look at one another. They both knew that if eye contact was made, one of them would have ended up seriously injured.

"Stay away from Nikita, Dilios." Stelios said sternly, not turning to look up at the man. "I did not mind it when my sister admit her feelings for you, or when you vaguely spoke of your affections to her. What I can't stand, is that you are playing with both of those girls. They are best friends, practically sisters, and you are going to tear them apart. I have never seen my sister cry as hard as she cried today…"

"Your sister cried..?" Dilios questioned. His eyes went wide, but he did not let his concern affect his tone. "It does not matter. I will do what I please. You do not have the authority to stop me. I am to the age where I should take a bride. I fully intend to do so. Nikita and Sibyl would both make excellent wives and mothers."

"Nikita is too young for you, Dilios. Her parents would never allow her to marry a man your age."

"We will see about that." Dilios said sternly. He had absolutely no desire to marry Nikita, but he could not let Stelios know that. The younger man was making him so furious. He could not stand to back down from this fight, not now. "Have a good evening, Stelios." He said sternly, patting the younger man upon the back hard. Their skin made contact with a sharp slapping noise. Stelios flinched, but did his best not to let the pain show on his face as his back stung from the contact.

Dilios deviated from his path then and turned towards the edge of the city, into the darkness and shadow. He looked around, trying to find a figure in the darkness. Nikita said she would be near the outside of the city, working on her reading. Had this been a lie? Had she set him up to get caught? He did not want to explain his actions to his king if he were caught. That was when he finally caught a glimpse of her. She was standing against the bathhouse wall, leaning back against it, braiding her hair over her shoulder casually. She looked completely calm and content. He wondered why she would stand directly under the torch. People would be able to see who she was and question her actions. He hurried over to her, keeping towards the shadows as he got closer to her.

Nikita was not afraid. She had her Spartan reserve upon her face. It was one of few times where she actually proved herself a Spartan citizen. She felt as though staying in the light would reduce the rumors. If everyone could see her and her actions, no one would question what she was doing outside so late at night. She made sure that Sibyl was already safe and secure in their meeting spot. Nikita did not care what people thought of her, but she was going to do everything within her power to keep Sibyl safe from rumor. She prayed that her standing in the light would keep rumors to a minimum in this city.

"Well…?" Dilios asked quietly as he stood in the shadows beside Nikita. He was searching the area frantically and he could not see Sibyl anywhere. He wondered why she would not come. Stelios had even admit that Sibyl had feelings for him. Did she really not trust him?

"Sibyl is safe and she is near…" Nikita said sternly before she looked up at Dilios. "She has not been acting like herself today. She may not show you much fondness when you see her. She barely wanted to see me today. I do not know what happened to her last night. I assume that Stelios has said something to her, but I can not know that for sure." She said quietly before she let out a small sigh. "If you hurt her, Spartan… I will make sure that all of Hell is brought down upon you." She warned.

"I will not hurt her. What I told you yesterday is true. I just want to be able to speak to her without worrying about the ridicule of others around us." He said sternly as he looked down at her. "I promise you on my life that she will be safe from me, and all others. I am willing to lay down my life to keep her safe from Soldiers, the Ephors. I would even stand against my king if I knew it would keep her safe."

"Shh." Nikita said sternly. "Do not say your words too loudly. You do not want to be tried for treason, do you? Now… She's on the roof. She doesn't know that you are going to be here."

"What do you mean she doesn't know I am going to be here? I asked you to set up a meeting with her and I, Nikita."

"And I have. I knew that she wouldn't leave her house to meet a man during the dead of night. You wanted to speak with her and I have made that possible. It was you who failed to specify how this meeting was to come about."

"You are right, Nikita. Thank you, for all that you have done for us…" He said with a small smile.

"You should know, before you go up… This has always been a safe place for her and I to meet. We used to speak of our futures, and who we would pick if we could choose our husbands. She is going to feel like I have betray her. She will be scared and may even cry. Do not make it any worse than it has to be. I am risking my friendship just so you can have your chance to make her happy. Do not make me regret it. I am going to wait down here, to make sure that nothing goes wrong. If she wants to go home, I am going to make sure you do not hassle her."

"I understand…" He said quietly as he grabbed the side of the stone wall and began to pull himself up. He could feel the cold air all around him. His skin had goosebumps. Whether that was from the cold or the excitement was anyones guess. He could not wait to see Sibyl again. After the day of trial he had, he felt almost as if he had earned the right to see her. He pulled himself up and was taken back as he looked around. He had never looked up at the sky from above the light within the city. The stars were everywhere and making everything glow with their light. The moon was nearly full and looked radiant in the navy sky. He smiled to himself before he lowered his gaze and looked upon Sibyl. She was sitting near the edge of the roof with her knees tightly against her chest. She looked nervous, worried even. Her focus was up at the moon and her pale face looked perfect. He had never seen anyone or anything as beautiful as the girl who sat before him now.

He walked towards her, his own heart beating rapidly within his chest as he looked at her. He just realized that he had no idea what he was going to say to her, or if he had anything to say at all. He had been in battle countless times. He had killed men, watching the light of life leave their eyes. He had been wounded and felt as though he may lose his own life. Never before, through all of his experiences, had he felt this level of nervousness and unease. He thought for a moment that he should turn back before she saw him. He was so concerned about just getting the chance to speak to her that he never even thought about what they would talk about. He stepped closer and was only a foot or two behind her and suddenly she started to speak.

"Nikita." She said softly. He remembered then that Sibyl was expecting Nikita, not himself. "My closest friend… I need to speak to you of what is on my mind. I pray that you forgive me, and do not hold it against me. I can not keep in my feelings any longer." She said with a small whimper as her lower lip began to tremble. "I saw you speak to Dilios this morning." She said with a small laugh. "I understand now that he was only trying to be close to me so that he had a chance to get closer to you. It explains why he walked you home last night, why he kissed you on the forehead this morning. I apologize for spying on you, but I was curious to know who was talking… My heart broke when I realized it was you and Dilios, talking about how you were going to keep secrets from me. I do not blame you. I am a silly girl who should not have listened to her feelings in the first place. There is no room for softness, not here. I admit to you, I cried this morning. I cried in front of Stelios. I cried…" She laughed nervously. "So hard that Stelios had to carry me back inside and hide me from everyone. He did not want me to be punished. I held him like a child and could not even speak to tell him what was wrong. Even in my despair, I would not tell him who it was that made me cry. I knew that he would try to punish the culprit. I couldn't let him do it. It wouldn't have been fair. I do not want to sacrifice your happiness for my own, Nikita. Dilios is a wonderful man and will make a wonderful husband. I wish you two only the best. After all, you would make a much better bride than I. You are a true Spartan. That is something I could never even dream of being. It is not in my blood… But… I do not think I can be your friend anymore. Every time I see either of you… I can not promise that I would not cry. I have weakness in my heart and I can not help it. You must find it within yourself to forgive me, Nikita."

"Is that what you really believe, Sibyl?" Dilios asked quietly. Her words had cut him deeply. He did not realize what his actions had been doing to her. He hated himself for being such a point of pain in her life. He had never wanted her to feel pain because of him. If he could change what he had done, he would. His heart sank in his chest as he waited to see what she would say next.

Sibyl did not say anything as she slowly turned and looked up at him. Tears were streaming down her face as she looked up at him. She shook her head nervously and bit her lower lip. A bright blush covered her face as she looked away form him. Her chest began to heave as she tried to regain her composure and calm herself down. Why was Dilios here? She had no idea what she could say to him. She took a deep breath before she turned to look back at him again.

"What are you doing here?"

"Nikita didn't tell you." Dilios said gently. "Because she was afraid you would not show up if she did." He said with a smile as he sat down beside her. He reached over and brushed her tears away from her cheeks and kissed her tenderly upon her head.

"What are you talking about?"

"After I was allowed to talk to you yesterday morning, I knew that I had to talk to you again, with no one around. I couldn't ask you myself, Stelios would have been suspicious if I had. I asked Nikita to set up a meeting for us so that no one else would notice. It worked. Even you didn't know that this was going to happen." He said with a small smile.

Sibyl laughed nervously and wiped her cheeks until they were dry. She felt as though she must look horrible. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes were puffy and red from crying. Her heart fluttered when he kissed her upon her head and she hated herself for it. After all the heartbreak this man had caused her, all it took was one little action to make her forgive all of it. She felt more tears slide down her cheeks and she scolded herself for not being able to make them stop.

"Please… Do not cry." He whispered quietly as he reached out and wiped her tears away again. Watching her cry broke his heart and he wanted more than anything for her to stop.

"I can not help it. I am sorry. I just… I do not know what to do, or what to feel. I mean… I feel… Happy. Thank you, for coming tonight." She said with a small laugh before turning to look at him. It was obvious that she was holding back most of her tears. He wondered what she would be like if she did not have her Spartan control.

"Do not thank me, not yet." He said with a small smile as he slid his hand from her cheek, through her hair and to the back of her head. Her hair was soft and smooth between his rough fingers. He leaned forward and brushed his nose against hers for a moment before leaning closer, to kiss her. He could feel the warmth of her breath against his skin. This was what he had wanted from the first moment he had seen her. He wanted to be the first man to kiss her, and the last. He wanted to be her husband and only hers. She would be his bride, or no one would.

"Dilios, we can't." Sibyl gasped and placed her hands upon his chest, pushing him back slightly as she looked up at him with bright eyes. The tears seemed to make her eyes glow and shimmer in the moonlight. They were like pools of ocean water glimmering before him. She knew in her heart that she wanted to kiss him, but she could not. Their laws would not allow this. She did not want to risk her reputation, or his, just because they could not suppress their urges.

"Sibyl, I will marry you. One way or another. With or without your fathers permission, you are going to be my wife. I will take the harshest of punishments. I will suffer the deepest of shames, willingly. I will do what ever it takes, just to be able to call you mind." He whispered against her lips. His tone was fierce and determined. It sent a chill down her spine, but she did not pull away from him. She trusted his words, more than she knew she should.

"Oh, Dilios…" She whispered quietly as she finally allowed herself to relax. She leaned forward and touched her lips to his nervously. The sensation was unlike anything she had ever felt before. It was so sweet, gentle, and intimate. She did not know that anything could be like this in Sparta. It was like fire was coursing through her body, making everything else around her feel colder. She trembled more and more with each passing moment. Dilios deepened their kiss, kissing her harder as he gripped her hair to keep her against him. He felt her tremble and he wrapped his Crimson around the both of them. Her trembling stopped almost instantly as she pressed herself against him. A bright blush crossed her face and she finally realized that she did not care if she shamed her family. She loved this man and he was worth every risk she was taking. She would meet him here as frequently as he requested it of her. This moment was the happiest moment of all her life. He leaned over her, gently coaxing her to lay down upon the roof. She whimpered nervously and gripped his arms and he laid her down. She was nervous, but she did not stop or ask him to stop. She wrapped her arms around his neck after he got over her. He parted his lips, sliding his tongue through, and brushing it against her closed lips. She whimpered again before slowly spreading her lips and granting him access to the moist cavern of her mouth. She gasped as his tongue slid through her lips and began to swirl around her own tongue. She did not know what to do, or now to react. She trembled and she could feel her womanhood growing hot and damp. She finally broke the kiss and gasped for air. He smiled and slowly began to kiss down her neck and shoulders. She cried out softly as she pushed him away by his shoulders. She loved the feeling of his bearded face and soft lips against her bare skin, but she knew that it was wrong. Despite her love for him, she wanted to wait until they were married in order to have this kind of intimacy.

"Dilios, we have to stop…" She whispered quietly as she kissed him upon his forehead.

"I know… " He whispered sadly as he pulled back from her and smiled. "Sibyl, I am going to talk to your father first thing tomorrow morning. I am going to ask for your hand in marriage."

"You should wait…" Sibyl said with a small smile. "Stelios is going to speak to father and convince him not to offer me as an Oracle. After Stelios talks to father, you should." She suggested gently. "If you ask before, he will deny you. Just as he has denied everyone else. I could not bear for that to happen." She whispered softly. "You are my one weakness…"

"And you are mine, Sibyl. I will not let anything come between us. I promise you that you will be safe and our love will be the strongest force on earth."

"I need to go home, Dilios. You should go back to the barracks before they realize you are gone." She suggested as she slowly sat up. She hoped that she could walk after this. All of her limbs felt like limp noodles. She managed to stand herself up and climb down the side of the building without a single problem.

"Sibyl!" Nikita called as she finally left her spot beneath the light. She hurried over to her friend and scanned her up and down. There was an obvious look of worry upon her tender face. Nikita wanted to apologize, or to explain herself, but she did not know how to do so.

"Thank you, Nikita." Sibyl said with a bright smile before she wrapped her arms around her friend tightly. "You are the best friend anyone could ever ask for." She whispered before pulling away and walking towards her own home. She wanted to leave before Dilios wanted to say goodbye's. She knew that she would not be able to tear herself away from him if that started.

Dilios came down from the roof and looked around skeptically before looking at Nikita. "Where did she go?" He asked quietly.

"She already went home." Nikita said with a small smile before looking around. "However… I am quite a ways from my own home tonight. Would you mind escorting me home, Spartan?" She asked childishly.

"Walking you home is the least I could do, Nikita." He said with a small smile before offering her his arm. Nikita held his arm tightly and smiled up at him as the began walking towards her home.

"So. Was it everything you had hoped for?" She asked playfully.

"It really was. We did not talk about much, but she knows that I want to make her my wife. I am going to do everything I can to make sure that it happens. I will be a good husband to her."

"I know you will be. She is my best friend. You had better take good care of her. Have you thought at all about what you're going to say to Stelios. He won't be happy that you want to marry his sister."

"I know he won't, but he has already told me that he does not have a problem with me marrying her. I think he knows that I will not hurt her."

"I hope you are right, Spartan." She said before releasing his arm. "I can see my house from here. Get yourself home safe." She said tenderly before leaning up and kissing him tenderly upon the cheek and walking into her house. Dilios waited until her door shut and he could see her no more before he turned away and headed back towards the barracks.

There was a long stretch of his walk that was in complete darkness. He could only hear the wind around him, but then, there were footsteps. He stopped walking and focused on listening. The footsteps were getting louder, but he could not pin point which direction they were coming from.

"Dilios." A stern voice said from behind him. He spun around quickly, and was quickly greeted with a hard fist against his jaw. He groaned and stumbled as he tried to regain his balance.

"I told you to stay away from Nikita!" The man shouted angrily. Dilios knew then that it was Stelios. What on earth was he doing out here so late? Was he following himself and Nikita.

"I am not doing anything to her! I am not courting her. Stelios, please, my brother, believe me. I do not want to make her my wife!"

"You say that like I would let you." Stelios said sternly as he stepped towards the man and stood him up, only to begin punching him in the ribcage before finally sweeping the older mans legs out from under him. Dilios fell to the ground with a hard thud. He gasped for air. The fall had knocked the air from his lungs, but Stelios did not care. Stelios stood above the man for a few moments before kneeling down and repeatedly punching the older man in the face. Hit after hit, until his own knuckles were bruised and bloody. He could see the blood dripping from Dilios' nose and mouth, shimmering in the moonlight. The older man was coughing up his own blood as he struggled to try and roll onto his side. Stelios pinned him down by his shoulders, holding the man still.

"If I see you near her again, Dilios. I will kill you." Stelios said sternly as he stood up. He could not understand his own irrational anger at his friend. He did not care that this man wanted to court his sister, no. He cared because after all of this time, he finally understood his own feelings. He wanted to marry Nikita. She was the only woman he had ever met that was not afraid to raise her voice to him. She was not afraid to speak her mind. She did not care what others thought of her. She did what she wanted to do, what would make her happy. Most importantly, she was capable of the Spartan reserve when she needed it. He was too young to marry, but so was she. He only needed to make sure that no man could marry her before himself. They would come of age near the same time. He was not going to let anyone, not even his closest of friends, get in the way of what he wanted. He frowned as he kicked Dilios in the ribcage, repeatedly before finally walking off into the darkness.

It was the perfect crime. Not a single person would have seen the altercation. Dilios could not tell anyone, for then he would have to explain why he was outside of the barracks at such a late hour. He slowly picked himself up, groaning and wincing in pain. He could feel the bruises throbbing all over his chest and face. His nose was broken and gushing blood. He was going to have to set it before he finally went to bed. He spat his blood out on the street and winced again. He wondered what Stelios was really capable of. For good measure, he would not go anywhere near Nikita anymore. He would tell Sibyl about what just happened. Nikita deserved to know what kind of a man was seeking her hand in marriage.

Dilios tried to walk back to the barracks, but it was hard. His legs trembled. It hurt to breath and he was gagging on his own blood. He would not let his pain get the best of him. He would fight through this and make it back to the barracks. He would not disappoint his fellow Spartans by being too weak to get back to his home. He knew that he would look like a wreck in the morning and would have to explain it. He was left with few choices. He could tell them about his meeting with Sibyl and say that Stelios had cornered him on his walk home and injured him, or he could keep his silence. He decided that the Spartan thing to do would be to stay silent. He would say that he did not see who harmed him, nor did he know why they did it. Last thing he wanted was for Sibyl to hate her brother because of something so insignificant as this. He did not hate Stelios for his actions. If he had seen another man with Sibyl, he likely would have done the same to protect her. He would speak with Stelios about this calmly, in the morning. For now, all he wanted was to clean himself up, and go to bed.

Even having to endure the pain he was in and the long walk home. He could not deny that his time with Sibyl had made this the best day of his life. Her kisses were so soft, and innocent. He could not wait to be alone with her again. More importantly, he could not wait until he could call her his wife.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Misery

Dilios did not sleep that night. He could barely lay upon his bed without crying out in pain, let alone sleep in it. He lay there in an agonizing silence for hours on end before he finally got up before the sun rose over the horizon. He snuck from the barracks before anyone else was even awake. He walked towards the center of town, towards the large pool of water that was used for watering plants and doing domestic chores. He sat upon the stone rim that surrounded the pool and looked down at his reflection. It was hard to see, because the sun was only barely rising in the distance.

He could tell that his face no longer resembled itself. He was nothing but a swollen mass of purple, green and yellow. He touched his nose and flinched. It must have been broken. Luckily, it was still straight and would not have to be cracked back into place. He dipped his hands into the cool liquid and cupped them full before lifting them to his face. Even the cold water seemed to feel like nails against his raw flesh. He winced slightly and let out a pained breath. Even breathing hurt, for his ribs were bruised and battered just as much as his face.

"Dilios!" A female voice shrieked from his right side. He lifted his head and his heart plummeted in his chest upon seeing Sibyl walking towards him. It was very apparently that she had literally dropped everything she had been doing in order to come to his side. Upon the ground where she had been standing, lay a wicker basket, with clothing pouring out of it while it sat on its side. He hoped that she would not be scolded for this mistake. He knew that her father was not a very kind man, nor was Stelios.

Sibyl hurried to his side and scanned his face worriedly before nervously reaching up to cup his cheeks. He winced, but did not pull away from her. The last thing he wanted was to insult or offend her while she worried. He struggled to look at her, for his right eye was swollen shut from all of the abuses of the day prior. She nervously stroked her fingers through his hair before shaking her head.

"Dilios, who has done this to you?" She whispered quietly before she stood up and hurried back to her basket. She picked up all of the clothing and carried it to Dilios, setting it upon the ground beside him. She grabbed a small piece of cloth and soaked it in the water. She lifted it out and began to wash the dried blood away from his face with a gentle touch.

"I can not say, and you can not be here with me. There will be rumors. You will be punished for showing weakness. You need to leave before anyone sees us together." Dilios snapped bitterly as he grabbed her wrist, to still her hand. Sibyl looked at him for a long time before taking a deep breath. She pulled her wrist from him with a cold look upon her usually gentle face.

"I do not care what they say about me." She said sternly. "Have you already forgotten all of the words you've said to me? One way or another, we will be together. If rumor starts that you and I have commit adultery… They will not offer me to the Ephors. Is that not a good thing?"

"It is.." He said with a small sigh of relief before shaking his head. "Wait, no! I am not going to let you risk your reputation for something like this. It is not right." He said hoarsely.

"You don't have a choice, Dilios. This is my choice, not yours." She snapped before she raised her hand and began wiping his blood away slowly again. "I will be back. I need a blade…"

"What do you need a blade for?" He said with a small chuckle as he looked up at her.

"To release some of the pressure from beneath the bruise." She said with a small sigh before she stood up and walked away from him. Her footsteps were quick and quiet. She disappeared from view, and the other citizens of Sparta began to wake up around him. Slowly, the streets of the inner city began to fill with citizens, trickling in from their homes. He did his best to stay calm and not look suspicious. He knew that if he left before Sibyl came back, he would not hear the end of it. She was risking a lot, just to try and help him. Her father would be furious if he caught her doing things other than her chores this early in the day. He must have been doing a good job of acting normal, for none of the other citizens paid him any mind. That is, until Sibyl returned with a small blade. She came back just as quickly as she had disappeared.

Sibyl sat down beside him again and gently lifted his chin. Her hands trembled ever so slightly as she held his bearded face. She raised the blade and took a nervous breath. She knew that she had to do, but she had never actually done it before. The wound was so close to his eye. She trembled and hoped that she wouldn't blind him by mistake. She would never forgive herself if she had made such a glaring mistake.

"Alright, you need to hold still. I don't want to have any accidents. This is going to hurt." She said with a monotone voice. She was doing her best to appear to be only a helping, medical hand. She did not want anyone to know anything else about her and Dilios. No one appeared to suspect anything. Perhaps it was the fact that she was about to cut him.

"I'm ready." He said with a small nod before closing his eyes. Sibyl smiled at him for a moment before letting out a small sigh. She wanted so badly to kiss him, but she knew that she could not. Though she longed for the soft, gentle caress of his lips against hers, she knew that she must wait. She lifted the blade and gently made a small slit, below his right eye. His skin was so easily cut. She wondered if all human skin cut that easily, or if her blade was just very sharp. She had never had a need to injure anyone before, so she had no idea. She could see the small trickle of crimson liquid oozing down his bruised face. She raised a rag and began to wipe the fresh blood away as it flowed, but was pleased when she noticed the swelling going down. She had never actually seen anyone do this for a bruise, but she was told time and time again that it worked.

"It's not perfect, but I think it has helped." Sibyl said with a small sigh as she lowered her rag to her lap as she looked at him. The blood had stopped oozing and his eye did look noticeably better. "Why won't you tell me who has done this to you?" She asked softly. "I will not tell anyone, I promise you. I just need to know in order to sate my own curiosity." She said as she tried to convince him. After a few minutes of silence, she realized that he was not going to say anything. She sighed and decided to change the subject. "I need to go wash these clothes before father wakes. I will find you later to check on you." She said with a cold tone. The words sounded so distant and meaningless as she uttered them. This broke her heart, but it kept people from staring at them. She stood, grabbed her basked, and walked towards the area where the women washed. She walked as fast as she could without looking too eager.

Dilios slowly stood and opened his eyes with a small smile. He could see out of his right eye now. He looked into the pool of water and nodded when he realized that he looked almost normal after Sibyl's gentle touch. He had longed for a woman's touch for so long. He found himself thinking that sustaining injuries this bad daily would be bliss if only she would touch him and mend them. He was about to walk away when a voice called to him from a distance.

"Dilios!" A new female voice called frantically. He winced and groaned before turning around and seeing Nikita running toward him. This was his worst nightmare. People had seen them together before and each time she did this, she made it harder to deny. They had no love affair, but that's not what it looked like to everyone else. This obviously caused much attention to be drawn to them. He could hear the whispers circulate and his heart sank like a rock in his chest.

"Stay away from me, Nikita." Dilios said sternly as he turned from her. He did not even want to deal with her, not now, not in public. He could not tell her what happened between himself and Stelios, not yet. He felt her hand upon his arm and he did not turn to look at her. He knew that he would not be able to stand the look of betrayal upon her face. Her grip was strong, much stronger than she had expected. She did not look that strong.

"Dilios, why are you being so cruel? What happened to you after I saw you last?" She demanded harshly. "I will cause a scene if you do not tell me what happened to you. Believe me, you do not want that." She hissed angrily.

"I can not speak of it, Nikita. Release me before I am forced to hurt you. I need to go to the training grounds."

"The sun is not yet high enough for you to be there." Nikita pointed out quickly as she began to grow impatient. "You won't hurt me. Your reputation would forever bare a black mark if you did. We both know that. I am not a strong warrior, everyone knows it."

"Nikita, enough!" Dilios shouted angrily as he turned to glare down at her. "This is mens business and it does not concern you. Release me now before I am forced to seek punishment for your disrespectful behaviors."

"Than seek them." She snapped. "I am not going to leave you alone. Not until I know the truth! You will not lie to me, Dilios!" She screamed angrily. This caused more and more people to look upon them, most with disapproving looks on their cold faces.

Finally, the moment that Dilios had been so desperate to avoid was upon them. From within the crowd, he could see Stelios hurrying towards him and Nikita.

"Nikita, release me. I'm begging you." Dilios pleaded as he tried to pull his arm from her grasp. He did not know how she was capable of holding so tightly. Perhaps it was just that he was too weak from injury to fight back. Before Nikita could speak again, a loud, echoing voice carried over the crowd. It rang like thunder across the large, open area between the buildings.

"Dilios! I told you that if I saw you with Nikita again, I would kill you!" Stelios shouted angrily as he pushed through the crowd and drew his sword. There were quiet screams and gasp from the women and children that witnessed this scene. No one lifted a finger to stop him, but that was because they feared their king. Leonidas would never allow such violence to go unpunished. As he drew more near, Nikita stood between him and Dilios. The look on her face was unwavering and stern. She was not about to let Stelios hurt this injured man. She assumed that was Stelios that had caused the original injuries, but she could not prove that, not yet.

"Move," Stelios breathed in a low growl. His chest was heaving and his eyes seemed to be alight with rage. Nikita looked up at him and slapped him, hard, across his cheek. The force caused his head to turn to the side as the sting of her hand began to throb upon his skin. He turned and looked at her, bewildered and slightly confused. He had never been hit by a woman before. He did not know if he should hit her back or not. He found himself unable to hit her. His heart broke as she looked upon him with such hate.

"I'm not moving. This man has done nothing wrong. He tried to leave and I denied him that. If you are going to torment or punish anyone, it is going to be me. If you lay one more finger upon his man, I will personally end you."

"Big words for such a little girl." Stelios retorted with a small, mocking smile. Sibyl frowned and stepped closer to him. Close enough that he could fee her breath against his neck as she looked up at him.

"I will personally end you." She repeated, her voice like ice. "Step aside."

"You win, for now." Stelios laughed and lowered his weapon as he looked down upon her. "But you will rue this day, one way or another. You are not of age yet, but I am going to make you my wife. When that day comes, you will obey-"

"I will not now, nor ever be your wife, Stelios. That would require me to respect you, would it not?" Nikita said with a bitter laugh. "Of all the Spartan men, you are the one that I respect the very least!" She shouted so that all could hear. "No man who brutally attacks his so called friend, fellow soldier and man he calls 'brother' deserves to be respected. You constantly ridicule your sister for showing feeling and for not being a Spartan. She is more Spartan than you will ever be. You are a child, trapped in the body of a man. Maybe now-"

"Stelios…" Sibyl muttered softly as she came back into view. She did not have her basket or her clothing. They were upon the line to dry now. She had come back to check on Dilios, and heard much more than she would have liked. "Stelios… Y-you did this to Dilios?" She said as tears swelled in her beautiful eyes. She looked at her brother who suddenly looked powerless and weak. His sword fell from his hand as he turned to face his sister.

"Sibyl, please, listen to me. This is not what it appears to be, I promise." Stelios said softly as he turned to his sister.

"Everything you've told me is lies… You said you would not do anything!" She said angrily as she stepped forward. "I suppose you talking to father about the Ephors was also a lie!"

"I have not spoken to him-"

"I knew it!" Sibyl cried out angrily before covering her mouth as she trembled. She nervously walked towards Dilios and looked up at him, her heart beating rapidly in her chest. "You haven't spoke to my father either, have you?" She whispered softly, her hand still trembling against her face. She could feel her skin growing cold with fear.

"I have not…" Dilios said, not raising his eyes from the ground. A single tear slid down Sibyl's cheek and she took a deep, trembling breath. She was not ready to face this level of reality. She was being thrown from being treated like a child, to being treated as an adult. She had not expected the change all at once.

The Ephors were to come today, and there was no way for her to get out of it now.

"What is happening here?" The voice of Queen Gorgo echoed through out the crowd. Upon hearing her voice, all of the citizens quieted. All the citizens but Stelios, Nikita, Dilios and Sibyl scattered and continued about their daily rituals. They did not want to be scolded by their Queen for gawking at personal affairs.

"Nothing important, my Queen." Stelios said sternly as he bowed his head respectfully.

"You're right." Nikita said bitterly as she looked up at him. "Nothing you say is important."

"Nikita." Scolded Gorgo as she looked at the girl with stern eyes. She knew that she had taught these girls better than that. She was curious at what caused such a level of disrespect. "Go meet with your sisters. You should have started watching the children quite a while ago."

"I'm sorry, Gorgo…" Nikita said as she bowed her head. "I will go now. It will not happen again." She said swiftly before she turned and walked passed her queen. It was the safest way to walk, so that Stelios would not be able to follow her without being questioned. Stelios seemed to notice this and he clenched his teeth before reaching down and grabbing his sword from the sandy ground. He walked off in the opposite direction of Nikita, toward the arena.

"Spartan, are you well enough to participate in your training for today?" Gorgo asked Dilios without pity in her voice. She knew that he was in rough shape, but there was nothing she could do to stop the ways of Spartan's. Her husband would not have it. Besides, she would not want to shame him with pity.

"I am just as well as ever, just given new challenges." Dilios said sternly before he turned and walked away without glancing back at Sibyl before he left.

Sibyl did not wait to be questioned or dismissed by her queen. She simply sat down upon the stone ledge of the well. She wiped the tear from her face before looking up at the sky. It was still so early. The sky was shades of reds, yellows and oranges as the sun rose over the distant fields of grain. This sight was absolutely stunning and completely beautiful. She could not imagine wanting to live anywhere but here in all of her life. Living here had been bliss, despite the hardships, up until now. The Ephors were going to take her away, she could feel it in every fiber of her being. She closed her eyes, feeling suddenly sick after these thoughts crossed her mind. The very idea of losing her innocence to one of those disgusting men was more than she could bear.

Gorgo did not scold Sibyl as she had scolded the others. She slowly sat down beside the younger girl and let out a sort of sigh as she looked ahead at the sunrise.

"What has you in tears this early?" Gorgo questioned in a motherly tone. They had spent so much of their lives together before Gorgo was queen that their bond would never be broken. She could not help but feel sorrow when Sibyl felt sorrow. Her heart broke when she knew that Sibyl's heart broke.

"I do not know what to do. The Ephors take their Oracle soon, before day's end. I've tried all I can think of to try and avoid the fate that my father is trying so desperately to push upon me. He feels as though my life is worthless if I do not become an Oracle. It is the only way I am going to be able to make him proud in my life time. I wish that there was another way."

"You've done everything you could think of? Adultery?" Gorgo questioned disapprovingly. The look on her face was of anger and judgement. She did not want to be this way, but it was the natural response.

"No. That was never an option." Sibyl said with a small sigh. "I suppose… I should enjoy my last day of freedom before a year of torment among the Oracles."

"Sibyl…" Gorgo said softly before placing her hand upon the younger girl's shoulder. She was relieved that Sibyl had not gone so far as to try and defile herself to avoid the Ephors. "I will not let you suffer that fate…" She whispered sternly before walked away without another word. She was busy trying to build a plan within her mind. One that could save Sibyl while also keeping her innocence in tact.

It did not take Nikita long to circle back to Sibyl and reach out a friendly hand to her. Nikita felt so guilty for the scene she had caused this morning. If she had known about what Stelios had done and said to Dilios, she never would have made him stay. Let alone make Sibyl listen to the horrors that her brother was responsible for.

"Come on, Sibyl. We can't watch the children without you. They only listen to you." Nikita said with a friendly smile.

"I suppose so." Sibyl sighed as she took her friends hand and slowly stood. Nikita squeezed her hand assuringly and smiled even brighter.

"Come on, Sibyl. Everything is going to work out in the end, I promise." She assured her friend before leading her to the children.

All sorts of gears were put into motion by her tears and anguish. If she knew the depth of love that others had for her, and knew the things they were willing to do to save her, she would surely have stopped crying. As it stood, she knew nothing of the minds and hearts of those around her, except for Dilios. She knew that he cared for her, but beyond that, everything was a deep, blackening mystery that was starting to engulf her completely. Before this day would end, her life would be over. She felt as though, one way or another, she just didn't know how it would end yet.

The rest of the day moved on and things slowly went back to normal. Nikita and Sibyl had their hands full with the children for the day. They laughed and played and even helped Sibyl forget about her woes for a while. She taught them to write and to read, at least, a little bit. She was so proud of them and she felt like this was as close to motherhood as she was going to get. Stelios and Dilios trained as they usually would. They fought until their aggressions were taken care of and their opponents could no longer fight back. Dilios did his best to dodge all questions about his current appearance, and did a flawless job. The only one he gave any information to was Leonidas, but even then, he avoided naming Stelios.

At last, it was finally time for the Ephors to come down from the mountain. The sun had set over the waves of grain and the sky was a dark navy blue. Torches had been lit around the courtyard, and all of the Spartan citizens were precent.

A ritual was about to start. A ritual as old as time that had all of the most loveliest Spartan girls standing in a line. All of them wore golden hair decorations and the most elegant of robes. Beauty was far too much effort for Spartan women, but this was a rare exception. None of the girls had done their own make up, none of them had wanted to. In fact, most of them had screamed and struggled to get away. Each of them that stood shoulder to shoulder was trembling. They were all told that this was the highest honor and privilege they could achieve in their life times, but none of them thought it true. Both with fear and anticipation, they shook. No one wanted to be the girl selected by the diseased old men, but none of them had a choice, either. Most of them were here because their parents told them that they had to be, others, because of politics. None of free will.

Sibyl stood nearest to King Leonidas and Queen Gorgo and looked over at them from the corner of her eyes nervously. Gorgo noticed a time or two, and each time only nodded her head with the hint of a smile across her lips. It was obvious that she was trying not to show favoritism, but everyone could sense it. This slightly comforted Sibyl, but not enough to keep her from trembling. She could see the Ephors in the distance, walking slowly, holding their torches now that the sun had set completely and the sky was black except for the flickering stars above. She looked down at her feet and took a deep breath. She counted slowly as she continued to breath. This seemed to help calm her some, but not much. She could hear them as they arrived and began looking over girls.

She had never wanted to hurt someone more in all her life. These ugly, disgusting old men were making the most cruel comments she had ever heard. These girls that stood here were the most beautiful in all of Sparta. Yet, the comments made ranged from 'Her teeth are slightly yellowed', 'Her eyes aren't straight.", "Her hair is rough and too short." to comments much more offensive that Sibyl dare not repeat to anyone. She only wondered what they would say when they arrived at her.

Their rotting, blemished skin smelled so rank that she thought she may throw up just by being near him. It reminded her of an animal who had died and was left to decay in the hot sun on a summer day. It had only been seconds and already she was sickened by them. Their attitudes, appearances and stench. They reached out and touched her arms, her face, her hair and her legs. Their hands felt rough and calloused. They muttered amongst themselves hurriedly, all the while glancing back at her. Finally, they began making comments loud enough for her to hear.

"Her body is strong and firm, but her skin is so delicate." The first one said.

"Her hair is soft, too. A little short, but it will grow. It feels like rabbit's fur when I run my fingers through it." The second one said with pleading desire in his voice. This caused Sibyl to tremble noticeably, but the Ephors did not pay her any mind.

"Her eyes are lovely, also." The third one grunted with a cruel laugh. "We could probably use them to see the future."

As they all spoke amongst themselves and occasionally made a comment, Sibyl could feel her pulse race. She wanted to turn away and run fast and hard until her legs could no longer carry her. She looked over at Gorgo who had a look of repulsion upon her normally lovely face. What was she thinking?

"King Leonidas, I think that perhaps we will take this girl-" The first of the Ephor's started, but was quickly interrupted.

"Pardon my interruption, wise and holy men, but I fear you may be making a terrible mistake by choosing this girl as your Oracle." Gorgo said as she slowly lowered her head. Leonidas gave her a cold stare, but said nothing. He was not about to disrespect his queen, even if he did not approve of her outburst.

"Why would you say that, Gorgo?" The Second Ephor said harshly. He sounded as though he had a forked tongue. The way one would imagine a snake sounding if it could speak. Gorgo winced when her title was not used, but she did not expect these monsters to respect her. They hardly respected their King. She did not let them throw her off for long before she spoke again.

"I was not going to say anything, for I did not want to ruin the reputation of such a charming young woman, but she is a heartless seductress. I am sorry that I have kept this horrible secret to myself for so long." Gorgo said sternly, her voice cold and unwavering. The Ephors pulled away from Sibyl and looked at her with deep disgust in their black eyes. Sibyl turned to look at her queen with wide, horrified eyes. How could Gorgo say such a thing? This woman had been like a mother to her, and now she was publicly shaming her. It was rumor in Sparta that adultery was non existent. What Gorgo was saying meant that Sibyl was the first and only adulteress in all of Sparta.

"Do you have proof of this?" The First Ephor demanded impatiently.

"I have seen it with my own eyes. She skulks around in the dead of night, preying on weak, Spartan soldiers who long for the gentle touch of a woman." Gorgo said with a bitter smile. "She tricks them into being with her. She has not been clean and pure for years now. The latest of her victims is a Soldier we all know and respect. I do not blame him for what has happened, only her." She said.

"Those are all lies!" A deep, hoarse male voice called from the crowd. An older, Spartan man with grayed hair and dull blue eyes hurried with a limp. He pushed his way to the front and raised a hand to point at Gorgo. Everyone whispered amongst themselves. No one would have dared to say these things to the queen otherwise. "My daughter is not the floozy that you claim her to be!" He shouted angrily. "My daughter is more pure than half the girls standing here. How dare you say such-"

"Her father is more to blame than anyone else. He knew of these truths and yet, told no one. He is more of a monster than she is!" Gorgo said as she pointed towards the elderly man. "He has thought that his daughter was a burden from day one. He was desperate to get her away from him. Even if that means lying to you holy men and his King." She said sternly.

"How disgraceful! We can not use a girl who is not pure." The Ephors muttered in unison as they began to walk back down the line of girls.

Sibyl was grateful for what Gorgo had done, but her heart was in pieces. She tried her best to keep her tears within her eyes. She did not want to cry in front of all these people. Suddenly, she felt a firm hand upon her arm, pulling her away from the center. She did not look to see who it was, nor did she question it. She was thankful to be out of sight.

She was pulled into a small home and she finally looked up. It was none other than Gorgo who held her. Gorgo looked down at her before pulling her into a tight embrace, stroking Sibyl's hair as she did so.

"I am so sorry that I had to disgrace you like that in front of everyone." Gorgo whispered softly. Sibyl could feel the warm tear drops upon her head, seeping through her hair. "But I could not let them take you away. I would not. You do not deserve a fate like that. No one does, but we can not stop the Ephors…"

"G-gorgo… My life here is going to be ruined! You know that" Sibyl whimpered nervously. "No one is going to want to marry me now. My father isn't going to let me come home. Stelios isn't going to speak to me again. I am going to be alone again. I'm going to be starving, unsheltered and abandoned in the streets!" She said as tears began to stream down her cheeks. "Dilios is never going to speak to me again…"

"I will make sure that you do not ever live in the streets. I will talk to my husband. If your father does attempt to abandon you, we will take you in. He knows that I've been a mother to you as much as I can be. I care for you so deeply." She said before kissing Sibyl upon the head.

"Gorgo!" The roaring voice of Leonidas came through the darkness. Gorgo released Sibyl and dried her eyes. "I've gotten an escort ready for you. I told him of my plan. He did not like it, but he promised not to tell a soul." Gorgo whispered before she turned and left the room, hurrying back to her husband's side.

"But.. Who would agree to this…" Sibyl whispered to herself nervously as she waited in the darkness.

"Someone who was willing to do anything to save you from the Ephors…" She heard a male voice whisper into her ear from behind. She turned around and smiled as she looked up at Dilios, who had healed very well.

"Oh, god… Dilios…" Sibyl whimpered before she wrapped her arms around his neck and began to cry against his chest. His hot skin felt so good against her bare flesh. She wanted to strip down and feel all of him against her, but she knew she could not. "I was so afraid that they were going to take me…"

"I was afraid too… When Gorgo told me of what she planned to do, I could hardly contain myself. I tried to keep myself collected, but I know that she saw my excitement. We can be together now-"

"No. We can't." Sibyl whispered nervously. She slowly released him and looked up at him with tear filled eyes. "My reputation has been shattered, and yours will be too, if you try to marry me after what just happened."

"We can. You will see. We can make it work." Dilios pleaded before he leaned down and he locked his lips onto hers. He tasted like sweat and longing. Sibyl smiled against his lips as she kissed him back. She wrapped her arms around his neck again and kissed him deeply.

"We need to stop…" Sibyl whispered against his lips.

"I don't think so…" Dilios whispered back as he placed his hands upon her hips. "Never again…" He muttered as he continued to kiss her and hold her form against him.

"We need to get away from here. I need to get home… W-while I still have a home." She said with a nervous smile.

"You will have a home still, I do not think that your father would disown you for this." He assured her tenderly.

"You do not know my father the way I know my father…" Sibyl said sternly. "He has been looking for an excuse to get rid of me for years. The Ephors were his way of doing so, but that has been taken from him now. With the new found accusation of my infidelity, he has a way to get rid of me. A way that no one would judge him for." She explained softly.

"He's not going to leave you out in the cold. I don't know your father on a personal level, but I know him as a warrior. He will not abandon you. It is not the Spartan way." He said sternly.

"Will you just walk me home, please?" Sibyl insisted sadly as she looked up at him. "I really want to go to bed… I am not ready to face the scowls and judgement of those around me yet." She muttered as she looked passed him.

"I will walk you home." He said softly as he grabbed her hand and tenderly kissed her knuckles. "I will be your husband, Sibyl. That is a promise."


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Exile

Over the next few days, all of Sibyl's fears became reality.

Everything started when she arrived home after being publicly humiliated by Gorgo in front of all Sparta. Dilios had made sure that they stuck to dark, abandoned corridors behind the city. There were few citizens there, and Dilios made sure that Sibyl was kept out of their sight.

"Are you going to be okay?" Dilios asked softly when they finally reached her door. He had tried so hard to convince himself that she was going to be alright here, but her doubts began to worry him. What if her father was really that cruel a man, cruel enough to leave her out in the cold? He could not bear to think of it. He would not be able to rescue her, not for a few years yet. He would not have a home for her until he was able to leave the barracks. Five years, she would be left in the cold. Even if they were to be married, she would still be homeless. He did not care if he was shamed for marrying her, he only wanted to be able to protect her.

"I don't think so." Sibyl said honestly as she wrapped her arms around herself, looking up at him. "I have a bad feeling about being home, but I hope it will be alright. I'm not planning to stay long. I am going to gather my belongings and go to Nikita's. Her family has always been very good to me, and I pray they will help me in this time of need, if only for a little while." She said with a smile. "Don't worry about me. You better get back to the ceremony before anyone notices you are gone."

"I would rather stay here, with you, and walk you to Nikita's. I want to make sure that your father does not harm you as you fear he might. I would never forgive myself if I let harm come to you." He insisted gently as he placed a hand upon her shoulder. She smiled and placed a hand upon his before shaking her head again.

"I've already let harm come to you, at the hands of my own brother." She said softly. "Go, Dilios." She said more sternly as she pulled from him. Her heart ached as soon as their skin stopped touching. She longed for his closeness and his compassion. He was so unlike the other Spartan man.

She stepped inside of her small, stone home and looked around in the darkness. She decided that it was best if she did not light any candles. This would surely alert her father to her presence. No, it would be best to creep around slowly, in the darkness. Their home was not lavish and she knew every inch of it.

She walked to her room as silently as she could and continued walking until her thighs hit her bed. She leaned down and smiled before getting on her knees and reaching under the bed. She grabbed a rough, woven sack from beneath her bed before she stood up. She opened it and laid it upon her bed. She walked to where her robes were folded, in the corner of the room and grabbed them. She hurried back to her bed and slid the robes inside of the bag. She grabbed a few small knick-knacks from around her room and stuffed them into the bag. Among them, a wooden doll she had gotten from her mother when she was a child, a brush, a bar of soap and a blanket. She had just tied the bag and was about to leave, when she heard voices in the house.

"That good for nothing sister of yours. How dare she shame us in such a way! How dare that queen call me a liar! I swear, when I find that girl, I am going to make sure she regrets her every decision!" Her elderly father grumbled furiously as he trudged through the small home and began lighting candles.

Sibyl felt her heart plummet and she knew he was not alone. She looked around her room before quickly hiding beside her open doorway. If anyone walked into her room, it would be easy for her to sneak passed them and escape. Her only other option was under the bed, but if she was found, she would have no chance of escape.

"Father, please, just wait and speak to Gorgo. I am certain that there has been a mistake." The voice of Stelios followed after her father. "I know Sibyl and I know that she is a good, respectable young woman. Men have asked for her hand, you know this. You've sent them all away. She would not disobey your wishes in such a shameful way. Men must be spreading rumors because they are dismayed by your dismissal. Surely, it is not her fault. She would not sneak around with men at night."

"How can you be sure of this? I've seen that soldier.. Dilios, around her. He seems to pine for her. Yet, I do not think I have seen his face at my door to ask for her hand in marriage. I can only assume that he is the man she has been going to bed with." Her father grumbled.

"Dilios is a respectable soldier, father! He would not go to bed with her without marrying her first. I have also seen his longing, but I do not feel as though he has done anything with Sibyl-"

"Why did you desolate that poor mans face? If it was not because you found out he was sleeping with your sister, what was it for?"

"It was not for Sibyl! It was for Nikita…"

"Ah, so the true whore comes to light! My boy longs for a child, a child who sneaks around at night and parades around during the day. She gives herself to another man, a man you respect… So, instead of shaming her as you should, you take it out on your superior?" Her father snorted. "It is such a pity that I am to be so shamed by both of my children in my lifetime."

Sibyl could hear her father coming closer and closer to her room. Her heart bead hastened its pace as she heard him near. She closed her eyes tightly and held her bag tightly to her chest. He seemed to stop just on the other side of the wall from her. She took a deep, quiet breath and slowly opened her eyes. She could see the window across the room from her and found herself wondering if she could escape that way. It would be a risk. Her father was older, true, but he still had lightening quick reflexes and the strength of a warrior.

"There is no reason to be so cold-blooded, father. I have done nothing wrong, nor has Sibyl. Mother's death was not our fault!"

"Do not speak of your mother to me!" Their father shouted savagely as his footsteps hurried towards the opposite side of the room. Sibyl had to assume that this is where Stelios stood.

She took her chance. She stepped away from her wall and ran across the room and crawled upon her bed. She tossed her bag out the window with a small 'thud'. Dust from the sand rose around her bag when it fell. It was gone with a simple breeze. She had her hands on the edge of the window that was carved out of the stone wall. She was about to slide out, when she felt hands gripping her ankles.

"Where do you think you're going!" Her father shouted furiously as he pulled her back into the bedroom and off of her bed. She hit the stone floor with a loud smack. Her head hit the floor with such force that it blinded her for a moment. She only just thought quick enough to cover her face with her arms. She did so just in time, for the striking fist of her father hit her right arm. The pain was sharp and shot through her muscles. He grabbed her hair and pulled by the roots, dragging her to her feet. She felt as though her hair was going to tear from her head as she struggled to stand.

"What do you have to say for yourself, whore?" He shouted angrily as he threw her into their large, main room. She could see now, though her vision was blurry. Her body seemed to ache all over from the sudden abuse. Her knees were bleeding and her arms were bruised. Her head throbbed and felt like it was on fire now that he released her hair. There were lights everywhere, making their white home look orange. She slowly tried to get up onto her knees, but was met with a sharp kick to the ribs. She gasped as the air was forced from her lungs and she fell upon her side. She curled into a little ball and whimpered softly. Tears stung her eyes, but she was not going to let him see that.

"Answer me!" He demanded as he got over her and tried to pull her to her feet again. Sibyl whined and did not stand. She fought against his hard grip upon her arms and did not try to strike him. He did not release her, but began to shake her. She could feel the bruises forming upon her arms as tears began to slide down her cheeks.

"You are weak! You are no Spartan! You are nothing!" He shouted at her before he dropped her against the floor again.

This time, it was her face that hit the floor first. She cried out in agony as she felt the 'crunch' of her nose. The hot liquid began to pour down her face. It was warming and almost soothing as it ran across her lips. She pushed herself up on her hands and knees then. She could see the puddle of blood forming beneath her face. She turned to look up at her father, feeling more and more like a helpless child.

His elderly face was twisted by rage and hate. Stelios had grabbed the old mans arms and was trying to hold him back. Stelios only showed concern and worry upon his usually hard face.

"Sibyl, you need to go. Go now!" Stelios shouted to her. She stood up as quickly as she could, trying not to slip in the pool of her own blood. She stepped in it and it was sickening between her toes. She thought that she may vomit, but now was not the time for that.

"Don't let her go!" Her father shouted before finally freeing himself from Stelios. He chased after her and reached out a hand. Sibyl turned to face him and only grabbed his arm with gentle hands.

"Cryan, stop it!" She said forcefully before his hand wrapped around her throat. Upon hearing his name, Cryan released his daughter and stepped back from her. For the first time in years, there was sadness and maybe even remorse in his dark eyes.

It occurred to her then that no one had called him by name since her mother died. Her and her brother always called him 'Father'. Everyone else called him 'Spartan'. When their mother died, he lost who he was completely. Sibyl took this moment of shock and confusion to flee.

She turned and left her house, stumbling as she looked around. She had her left hand over her face, trying to catch the blood and hide it from the sight of others. She ran to her window, grabbed her bag and then hurried into the night, not quite sure about where she was going to go.

"Would you care to explain to me why you deliberately defied the will of the Ephors? No one has ever refused them who they desired to take before." Leonidas said sternly as he stood in his bedroom with his wife. It was a large room, with an elegant bed towards the center, against a large wall between their entrance and their balcony. He was stripping out of his Spartan cloak while he watched his wife. His eyes burned with an intense curiosity and acute anger.

"I would have liked to tell you my plan before the Ephors came, but I did not have a chance." Gorgo said softly as she pulled the golden accents from her hair and placed them upon a small table. "Sibyl is very dear to me. She has been for a very long time. You of all people know this to be true."

"Aye, I do." He agree'd with a small nod of his head. "Which is why I question your motives. Being an Oracle is a high honor. You took that honor from her and replaced it with shame-"

"It is not an honor, Leonidas!" Gorgo shouted suddenly. It was very rare that she raised her voice to her husband, and it alarmed him slightly. "It is not an honor to have those vile, infected old men touching you. If I had not said something, her innocence would have been lost to one of those mystics. No woman wants that, Leonidas. This is our oldest and most senseless tradition."

"Your words are sacrilege." He cautioned gently.

"I do not care." She said gravely. "From the time she was very small, Sibyl had told me that she would rather die the most painful of deaths than have to live with the Ephors as an Oracle. You see those women, just as I see them. When they return to Sparta, their beauty is gone. Some of them never even return! The soul has been taken from them. There is only hollowness and pain in their dull eyes upon their return. They never find husbands, because they are used… But it doesn't matter, does it?" She laughed bitterly for a moment. "Because they already achieved the highest honor that a woman can, correct?"

"My love, please, calm yourself-"

"I will not. You questioned my actions, and I am explaining them to you. I know that Sibyl is in love with a Spartan. He agree'd to help me hide her from the crowd after my speech. I wanted to protect her from unkind eyes. I was hoping that you would help me, my dearest husband."

"Help you? How? It seems as though you have saved her from the fate she feared. What more is there to be done?"

"I need to mend her reputation. I want to make a public announcement that I was mistaken about the identity of the woman who has been sneaking around. I need someone of high status and respectability to check her innocence and tell everyone that she is indeed pure." She said hurriedly as she looked upon her husband. She reached out and tenderly grabbed his hand within her own. "The only word that can triumph over my own is yours."

"What will happen to her if we say nothing, Gorgo?"

"Her father will likely abandon her, if he has not already. It will be a miracle if he does not kill her first. The man who wants to marry her can not leave the barracks and live on his own for a few years yet. He will be the only one interested in her now, but that will not help her. Sparta is hard and made for the strong. I fear that she will not live on her own until she can seek refuge with him."

"What soldier is it?" Leonidas asked as he looked down at his wife. She was so lovely, with her dark hair framing her face. The passion in her eyes was the reason he had fallen in love with her all those years ago.

"Dilios." She replied. "Please, do not think ill of him. He is a good soldier. He does not show his affection. I only know because of conversations with Sibyl."

"My queen." He sighed. "I will not do as you ask. I will not torment this girl any more by making her a public spectacle. However, I will offer you a different option. If her father does in fact throw her out… I give you permission to take her into our home. We will watch over her and guide her until a husband is found for her."

"Leonidas, you would do that?"

"I am not doing it for her. I am doing it for you. I know that her exile would upset you deeply." He smiled before cupping her cheek. "If her staying with us will please you, it is what I shall do."

"Thank you, my husband." She said with a relieved sigh as she stood up and tenderly placed a kiss upon his rough lips.

"Do not make me regret my kindness, Gorgo."

"I won't."

Sunrise came early but Sibyl thought it did not come soon enough. She sat beside the same well where she had mended Dilios' injuries and looked at her dark reflection in the clear water. Dried blood covered the lower half of her face. She took a nervous breath and reached her cupped hands into the water and splashed her face. She tried gently to wash the blood away. Around her, citizens began to emerge from their homes into the glowing, orange city. She could hear their judging voices and feel their vicious looks. None of them came near her, nor said anything to her directly. The further the sun rose, the more blood she found on herself. It had dripped down her neck and stained her white robes.

After nearly an hour of trying to clean the blood from herself, she gave up. She stood up and clung her sack to her chest for a few moments before she stood up. She turned around and her face went pale upon seeing Dilios walking toward her. How come everyone in her life had horrid timing?

"Sibyl-" Dilios said softly as he stepped toward her. Suddenly, all eyes were upon him. The whispers grew louder and she knew that they were all saying.

"Don't touch me." Sibyl said sternly as she took a step back from him. "You can not be seen with me. You can not be near me, Dilios. You need to leave. Now." She added nervously as she looked up at him. Tears swelled in her eyes and she shook her head before turning away from him.

"Do not shun me, not now. Do not turn from me. Sibyl, what happened to you?" He demanded quietly as he followed after her.

"Leave me alone, Dilios!" She screamed before she ran from him and disappeared within the crowd of people.

Dilios stood in shock for a few moments as he tried to wrap his brain around what had just happened. She had never been so cold to him before. She wouldn't even let him ask what happened to her. He didn't really need to ask. He assumed that it was her devilish father who had abused her and tossed her out into the street. Watching her walk away was one of the most painful things he had ever endured. He wanted nothing more than to run after her and pull her into a tight embrace. He wanted to stroke her hair and assure her that everything was going to be alright. He wanted to protect and guide her, but that was not possible. The touch of her skin would become a distant memory that he would long for through his life. He thought that he had already lost her.

"Dilios." A male voice said from beside him. He did not have to turn to know that it was Stelios. He wanted to turn and punch him. He wanted to start a fight, but he knew that he should not.

"Stelios." He said hoarsely without looking at his 'friend'. "What do you want?"

"I wanted… To apologize to you." Stelios stated awkwardly before looking up at his friend. "We have been close as brothers for many a year, since the Agoge. I was wrong to let my emotions get the better of me. My Spartan reserve shattered and I acted irrationally. I do hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me."

"What has happened between us is not really my concern at the moment, Stelios." Dilios said impatiently before he finally turned to look at the younger man. "My concern now is Sibyl-" He stopped talking then. "What happened to you?"

"I stopped father from hurting Sibyl… I… I tried, at least. He started all at once, out of no where. She was trying to leave, but he would not let her. He had done much damage before I even knew Sibyl was there. As soon as I realized what he was doing, I stopped him. I grabbed him and held him back, long enough for her to escape. She called him by name… It distracted him long enough for her to flee into the darkness. I came here hoping to find her, but I have yet to see her. I hope she is alright."

"I have seen her, and though your story explains her current state, it does not explain yours."

"I disobeyed direct orders from a superior." Stelios said then. "He disciplined me the way he saw fit. It doesn't hurt."

Dilios knew that his last statement was a lie. Stelios obviously had a broken rib and severely discolored chest. He had a black eye and a cut lip. It was obvious that he had taken quite the beating at the hands of his father.

"Your father never used to be like this." Dilios sighed.

"Sibyl and I tried for so long… To bring him back from the darkness after our mother died. He seems content to be so miserable. He turns to wine, frequently. Last night he stank of it. I do not know what to do. I feel like less of a man."

"What makes you feel that way? Being beaten by an elder?" Dilios scoffed.

"Not being able to protect my only sister…" Stelios corrected with a subtle sadness in his voice. "You said you saw her. How is she?"

"She is very bad off, Stelios. She has a broken nose and blood had stained everything she wears. Her behavior is that of a wild animal, trapped in a cage. She is frantic and afraid, wanting nothing more than to escape. I can not protect her either, not yet, anyway. I do hope that someone will show pity on her."

"We both know what the odds of that are."

"I will not let her die, Stelios. If it is the last thing I do in my life time, I am not going to let her die."

"She is too strong to die. Our biggest concern is if she tries to leave. You know what they would do to her if she went to Athens…" Stelios said through clenched teeth. "Just the thought of it makes me sick."

"She will not leave. There are too many of us here to let anything like that happen. We just have to be patient…" Dilios said as he tried to reassure his friend. His words sounded false as they hit the air. Dilios did not have faith that everything was going to be alright and it was hard for him to believe otherwise.

"Spartans." The voice of Gorgo called softly behind them. Both men turned around and lowered their heads respectfully.

"My Queen." They said in unison before raising their heads and standing straight. Gorgo laughed softly to herself and shook her head.

"At east, gentlemen." She said before looking up at Dilios. "I need to have a word with you."

"Of course, M'lady." Dilios said sternly before he waited for her next order.

"My Queen." Stelios interrupted timidly. "I do hate to intrude, but, would this meeting have anything to do with Sibyl? I want to be involved in trying to help-"

"You have helped quite enough, Spartan. I can't help but to think that her current predicament is do to your failings. If it were not for your little outburst yesterday, I think the meeting with the Ephors would have gone much different. Do you agree?"

"I do agree, M'lady, but she is my sister. She may not be blood, but we are very close. I have only ever wanted to protect her."

"You have failed your duty, Spartan." Gorgo snapped impatiently as she grew impatient with him. "Go to the training grounds before you are punished for being absent."

"Yes, my lady…" Stelios finally said when he realized he was not going to win this argument. He turned and quickly walked from them. Dilios watched after him before letting out a deep sigh.

"He does genuinely feel pain for what is happening to his sister. He wants to help her, but I don't know if he can do anything now. I don't know if I can do anything now." He sighed.

"That is why I would like to speak to you, Spartan. Would you mind accompanying me somewhere more private so that we may speak? I was thinking the back of the bath house. I've spoken to the women working back there today and they all swore that anything they overheard would be kept in complete secrecy." She said hurriedly as she looked up at him. "At mid-day. Meet me there." She finished before she turned and walked away from him as well.

On that note, Dilios headed toward the training ground, but was quickly brought to a different area. The building he was brought to was small, and carved out of stone like everything else. It stank of medical herbs and blood. There were men working on medical training and he was told to supervise them for the day. This seemed to be an odd choice of training for him today, but he did not question his orders. As he walked around and overlooked the men bandaging self inflicted wounds, he heard them speaking amongst themselves.

"Did you hear about Cryan?" One of the younger soldiers, a boy by the name of Matthias. "He was found this morning, in his home… He was in a pool of his own blood, dead. No one seems to know what happened…"

"Matthias." Dilios interrupted before sitting down in front of the younger man. "Where did you hear such a thing?"

"It has been all over the city this morning…" Matthias said nervously as he looked at Dilios with horrified brown eyes. "I am sorry. I should not have spoken. It is not my place to spread rumors. It won't happen again."

"Does anyone know if this rumor is true?" Dilios questioned as he stood up again and looked down at all of them. All of the men under his command kept their mouths shut and didn't look up at him. He let out a small sigh and closed his eyes for a moment before his Spartan reserve returned to his face.

"Why are you so curious?" Matthias struggled to ask him.

"Cryan was a close friend of mine when I was a child. He was almost like a father to me."

"Does it have anything to do with the whore-"

"If you dare call her that again, I will see to it that your tongue is cut from your mouth!" Dilios shouted furiously before he was able to stop his emotions. "She is not a whore! She is an angel and all of you are unworthy to even look upon her, let alone speak ill of her. She is among the strongest of Spartan warriors, including the men. If she were to come here, I would place bets against each of you that she would win. Her strength and loyalty are only equalled by her unnatural beauty and kind heart. Even the gods themselves look upon her, green with envy. Aphrodite does not even compare!" He shouted as he trembled with rage.

"Dilios." A husky voice called from behind him. He turned and his face went pale as he saw his king, Leonidas standing just outside the doorway. "I think that you should step outside with me for a moment."

"Sire, I am-"

"Dilios, that is an order." Leonidas said before he turned and walked from the small, stuffy building. Dilios followed quickly and struggled to think about what he was going to say to his king. There was nothing he could do to correct his behaviors.

"My king…" Dilios started after he followed Leonidas outside of the building, and stepped into an empty alleyway.

"Dilios, you do not need to explain yourself to me. Your outburst is not why I am here. I am here, not as your King, or a fellow Soldier."

"What is it that you need to discuss with me, Sire?" Dilios inquired nervously.' "I do not know if it has been brought to your attention yet, but Cryan has met a most tragic end." Leonidas sighed. His voice was distant and he did not seem the least bit upset about this occurrence. "It has been a long time in the coming. His mind has been slipping for many a year now, ever since the lost of his wife. It was he who caused his own demise. I have had the misfortune of seeing both his children today as well. It looks as though he had planned to take them with him into his next life."

"What is going to become of them now?" Dilios questioned skeptically before looking up at his king. He feared that he already knew the answer, but he wanted to hope for the best.

"Stelios will continue to live among the soldiers in the barracks. Nothing will change for him… Sibyl, however, is quite the different story. I was told by Nikita that Sibyl had requested refuge with her family. They denied her, saying only that they did not want such a troubled child beneath their roof. I do not blame them for their decision." Leonidas said sternly.

"My King… You said that you came here not as my king, or as a solider. What do you need to speak with me about, exactly?"

"Dilios, it is no secret that you have feelings for Sibyl, which is why I am telling you this now, as a friend. Gorgo and I are going to be taking Sibyl in, beneath our roof. We will raise her and shelter her until a suitable husband is found for her, when she is closer to the proper age for marriage."

"That is very gracious of you, my King." Dilios said, but he was unable to hide the smile that crossed his lips. She was safe. She was going to be safe and taken care of. He no longer needed to worry about her.

"That is why I am here." Leonidas said as he turned to fully face Dilios. "I am her guardian now. This means, when she marries. It is me that must be asked. I have seen how much she has suffered being around you, Dilios. I will not allow her to marry, not for a few years yet. I know she is impatient to have her own family, but I am going to show her that it is wise to wait." He said sternly. "And you are going to need to prove yourself as more than just a strong warrior in order to make her your bride. I wish you the best of luck, my friend." He said before placing an apologetic hand upon Dilios' shoulder and then walking away.

Dilios just stood for a moment, thinking about what had just been said. He looked up at the sky and realized that the sun was nearly at its peak. He cursed to himself before he started walking. He had almost forgotten about his meeting with Gorgo in the bath house. He found himself wondering if what Gorgo wanted to tell him was what Leonidas had already told him.

He walked casually through the streets of people, trying not to draw attention to himself. Unfortunately, after the events of the last few days, he felt as though at least half of the eyes were upon him. He ignored them as if they were not there at all.

None of the women washing in the bath house even remotely questioned his arrival. Instead, they smiled and pointed him toward the slightly hidden, back room. When he arrived, Gorgo was facing the wall, obviously trying not to stick out.

"I apologize for my late arrival. I was caught up in something that I could not leave." Dilios explained.

"It is no worry, Spartan." Gorgo said as she turned around and smiled at him. "Sibyl is going to live with me and my husband until she is to be married. I thought that you may want to know that."

"Leonidas has already informed me of this, and her fathers death."

"Cryan is dead?" Gorgo said suddenly. "How on earth did that happen?"

"I was only told that he took his own life."

"I believe that his poor actions finally caught up with him. No man should treat his family in such terrible ways." She said with a sigh before she shook her head. "I need to ask you something."

"Of course."

"Have you seen Sibyl?" She asked quickly. "I have been looking for her since this morning, but have seen no sign of her. I was hoping that you, because of your relationship with her, knew where she was."

"I do not have a relationship with her, beyond friendship."

"Don't be coy with me, Spartan. There are eyes and ears all over Sparta. Just because your secret, roof-top meeting has not come to light does not mean that it did not happen. Your moments of bliss before you took her home after the Ephors is also a low whisper in my ear."

"My thoughts have only been pure when it comes to Sibyl." Dilios said coldly. "She will be a fine mother, one day."

"If she lives that long. There is a rumor that Nikita's family would not take her in. Since that, no one has seen her." Gorgo said with a worried tone in her voice. "I want to find her before anything else happens to her."

Dilios sat in silence for a long time as he looked upon his queen. That was when it hit him, like a Spartan shield to the chest. He knew exactly where to find her.

"I will get Sibyl for you. Where would you like her to meet you?" He said sternly.

"Bring her to my home. Where is she?" Gorgo questioned curiously. "You seem very sure that you know where she is.

"It is just a hunch… I will let you know if I do not find her." He said before he quickly turned and walked from the bath house, in search for is angel.


	5. Chapter 5

Dilios searched for hours without rest. He could feel his skin become hot and tender, burned from the intense sun. He did not care. He was determined to find her. As he looked into the distance, the world seemed wavy and distant. The heat was so intense that the air itself trembled. He knew that if he was suffering in the sun, she must be as well. The only source of clean water was within the center of the city. He knew she would not risk it, not even for her life. He could not stand the thought of her, exhausted from heat, and no one stopping to help her because of the events the day before. She was going to me shamed for so long now. It was going to take a lot of time and effort to mend her good name in the eyes of Sparta.

** His first stop was the rooftop, where they had met in the dead of night. He climbed to the top of the building, ignoring how hot the stones were against his palms. His determination seemed to dull out the burns. When he reached the top, he let out a small groan of disappointment when he realized she was not there. He walked across the roof slowly, and came across a spot where it looked as though someone had been sitting. The dust was cleared from a place near the edge. There were small droplets of blood that were dried around it. He knelt down and slowly traced his fingers over the dried blood. He groaned and looked over the edge, toward the fields of Wheat. There was no movement for as far as the eye could see.**

** Sybil had been here. She no doubt left when she realized that Dilios would look for her here first. Finding her was going to be much harder than he previously expected. He was aware of how clever a girl she could be, but he did not know that her skills would be used against him. He was not going to let her win this game of keep away.**

** She needed help, and she needed to know that she would have a home to go to. He climbed down from the rooftop begrudgingly and looked around when his feet hit the dirt.**

** "You're not going to find her that way." Nikita said softly from her spot in the shade where she sat, weaving a wicker basket that sat on her lap. "She's not going to go anywhere she knows you will think of."**

** "How am I supposed to find her then?" Dilios asked with a small groan. He did not have time for such childish riddles.**

** "You're not." She said sharply as she sighed and put her hands down on her lap. "That is the point, you fool. She does not want you to find her. She is like a wounded animal right now. You, Gorgo and Stelios were those she looked up to and respected. She is not going to risk having any of you find her and see her in her weakened state. Not after everything."**

** "Gorgo is trying to help her. She's going to die on her own if she is not found."**

** "That is what you think, but Sibyl will not be killed so easily, Spartan." She laughed before looking down and going back to work. Her fingers were swift and nimble as they wove. "If you want to find her, you will have to think like her…"**

** "I thought I was-"**

** "No. You were thinking like her normally. Now, you need to think about her trying to avoid you. It's very different."**

** "Where would I go if… I was trying to avoid me?" He muttered softly, thinking out loud.**

** "Precisely."**

** "Thank you, Nikita." Dilios said softly before he turned away. He stopped after only a step and looked back at her. "What is happening between you and Stelios?"**

** "I do not want to talk about that." She said quickly as she cringed and grit her teeth. "That is something I am not going to discuss with you."**

** "Pardon my asking." He said softly before he turned from her again and began walking through the city. The sun was finally starting to go down, but it still felt like scalding oil upon his skin. **

** Everywhere he looked, people were heading into their homes for the night. The streets were more open and the buildings were glowing orange from the sun.**

** That was when it hit him. Perhaps she was at her home. Now that Cryan was dead and Stelios lived in the barracks, what was stopping her from staying there? No one was going to do anything with that home, not right away. He decided that it was at least worth a shot.**

** As the sun continued to disappear upon the horizon, he made his way to the home where so much violence had taken place. It was a short walk, but his skin was starting to hurt less as the temperature started to drop.**

** When her home came into sight, he was relieved to see that there was a small flicker of light within the window. He continued walking toward the house and took a deep breath as he reached the cloth-covered entryway. He gently rapped his knuckles against the stone frame.**

** "Sibyl, are you there?" He called softly from outside the door. He did not want to move too quickly and risk startling her. He could hear someone moving about inside, but there was no response. He figured she would not answer to him so easily. He pushed the cloth aside and looked in. He felt his heart sink when he saw her.**

** She was on her hands and knees, scrubbing the blood stained stone with her hands and a cloth. Her hands and arms were stained red from the effort. There was a large bowl beside her with crimson liquid. He wondered if she realized she was not going to make any progress this way. He also wondered how long she had been here, on her knees, scrubbing this old floor.**

** "Sibyl, you need to stop…" Dilios whispered softly as he knelt before her and looked at her hands. Her nails were broken and her own blood was starting to mix with the existing stain on the floor. He knew she had to be in pain, but her mind wasn't registering all of it. She was not herself, at least, not completely.**

** "I can not stop." Sibyl whispered softly. "Father died because he was so ashamed of us. His children shamed him." She whispered, her lower lip quivering as she spoke. Her voice was hoarse and barely audible. He assumed she hadn't drunk any water all day and had also been crying. "I must clean up the mess I made. I have to clean it, I have to try and make him proud of us. I do not want him to be angry with us." She whispered, but she did not sound like herself. She sounded like a woman who had lost her mind.**

** "Sibyl, you are not the reason he is dead." Dilios said as he reached out and stopped her hands. She looked up at him then. Her face was swollen and the wounds were scabbed over. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. He did not dare wipe them away, in fear of bumping her bruises or wounds.**

** "B-but I am—"**

** "No. He did not see the gift that was given to him on this earth. He blamed you for your mother's death only because he couldn't handle the reality that it was no ones fault. It was easiest for him to blame you, so he did. There was nothing you could have done to prevent this. Stop your crying and stop trying to clean up his mess. You need to go home now."**

** "I do not have a home, not anymore. This was my home. I have no where to go." She snapped coldly.**

** "You do, though." He said softly as he stood and gently lifted her by her shoulders, helping her to stand. Her legs were stiff and did not easily extend. He assumed she had been trying to scrub for hours before he had found her.**

** "I... I do..?" Sibyl asked quietly as she focused on his face. Her eyes were frantic as she looked at him. "Where?"**

** "Gorgo and Leonidas are taking you in, Sibyl. They are going to raise you as their own until you are old enough to take a husband. No one is going to bother you again. No one will look down upon you or mistreat you after they take you in. You have to come with me now. I need to take you to Gorgo before they change their minds."**

** "Have you changed your mind?" Sibyl asked softly as she began to wipe her hands upon her dress nervously.**

** "Have I changed my mind? About what?"**

** "About wanting to marry me…?" She whispered softly.**

** "Do not be foolish. Of course I have not changed my mind. The only part of my plan that has changed is the fact that I can no longer ask for your hand without permission. Leonidas is your guardian now. He will not let me disobey, no matter what."**

** "Do you think he will-"**

** "Not any time soon. You are still very young, Sibyl. You have a long while before you need to worry about marriage, just as I have a long time until I am free of the barracks. We will be together, Sibyl, but you must be patient. No more running off or trying to find a husband so quickly. You may find yourself in a whole new world of trouble if you do not stop and enjoy life."**

** "I do not want to end up unwed!" Sibyl shouted angrily as she pulled her arm from his grasp. She stumbled slightly, but managed to catch herself on the table before she hit the ground. She stabilized herself and looked at him through her hair. "I will not be denied a family just because I am not a Spartan."**

** "You are a Spartan, Sybil!" He shouted at her. "You are more Spartan than many of us who were born here. You are strong, loyal, and you never give up. No one can tell you that you are not a Spartan, and they are fools if they try."**

** "Dilios?" A woman's voice called from outside of the house. A few moments later, the thin cloth that covered the door was pushed aside and Gorgo could be seen by the flickering candlelight. Her face was hard until she caught a glimpse of Sybil.**

** "My queen…" Dilios said as he nodded his head. Gorgo only glanced at him as she walked to Sybil. She cupped the younger girl's face in gentle hands and smiled down at her.**

** "You did not deserve such sorrow…" Gorgo said softly before resting her forehead against Sybil's. "Sorrow won't touch you now…"**

** "I am fine, my queen. I am only tired. I do not feel my wounds." Sybil said sternly as she looked up at Gorgo. "What are you doing here at his hour?"**

** "Did Dilios not tell you? Your king and I will be taking you in to our home. You will be raised as if you were our own, until you are of age to find a husband." Gorgo said tenderly, stroking Sybil's hair. She was saddened as her fingers came across knots and blood clots. "Let us go home. I want to get you cleaned up before bed. It is late and you have not slept for days."**

** "I am afraid to sleep. I do not want to see him, his face twisted in rage as he tries to take my life."**

** "He can not harm you now. You must show your true strengths now. Prove to us that you are a Spartan. Do not let your own mind get the better of you."**

** "My Queen…" Sybil nodded in agreement as she stood up straight. Gorgo held her hands out, as if offering to help. Sybil shook her head as she took a few, trembling steps. "I am capable of walking on my own." She said sternly. She was tired after a day of wallowing in self-pity. She did not have any more patience for her own shortcomings.**

** "Alright…" Gorgo agreed reluctantly as she followed Sybil out of the small house and into the darkness.**

** Dilios stood for a few moments as he took in the carnage. All but the one candle that was burning were on the floor, broken. Blood splattered the walls and the floor. He wondered how it looked before she had started trying to clean it. The large bowl of water that sat on the floor looked as though someone had bled into it. If he had not known better, he would have assumed it was never water in the first place.**

** "Ah, Dilios, I see you found your girl." Leonidas said with an amused tone as he entered the small house. "I knew that you could."**

** "I did not expect her to come back here, but I am glad that I've found her. I no longer have to worry for her wellbeing. I know that she will be safe with you and Queen Gorgo."**

** "She will be safe with us now that Cryan is dead." Leonidas said with a small nod as he looked around. "She really did clean up much of the blood."**

** "Sire?" Dilios questioned softly as he looked at his superior. The look on Leonidas' face told him everything he needed to know. They did not exchange words, but he knew.**

** There was silence then, a long, painful silence. The only things that could be heard was their breathing and the wind outside.**

** "Does she know?" Dilios questioned finally, unable to keep his thoughts to himself. "Does she know who's responsible for his death? Does Stelios know?"**

** "No. Neither of them knows what happened here last night." Leonidas said lowly. "Neither of them ever will."**

** "May I ask why?"**

** "I had to protect my people. Cryan was a great warrior in his prime, but his mind was gone. When I came here, he did not even know whom I was. That was when I realized that he was a danger to himself and to others. He attempted to attack me. The rest, you're already aware of."**

** "You did what needed to be done." Dilios said in agreement. "I need to head back to the barracks."**

** "Aye, that you do." Leonidas said with a very small smile. "Please, do not say anything to Stelios, not yet."**

** "I won't breath a word of this to anyone." Dilios assured him. "I have nothing to gain from this. It would only hurt Sybil and I do not want that…"**

** "You're a good man, Dilios. However, you should go to sleep now. Morning comes swift."**

** "Yes sir." Dilios nodded before walking out of the house and into the night. The cold air felt good against his skin. The moon was bright again tonight, making the stone walls of the city seem to glow blue. He smiled to himself as he made his trek back to his bed.**

** Leonidas did not leave the house, not yet. He looked around and a deep sadness filled his chest as he thought about what happened the night before…**

_**"She's a worthless child!" Cryan shouted furiously. Leonidas could understand him, even though his words were slurred by the massive amount of wine he had to have drunk earlier in the night. "She is not a Spartan and she never will be! We were fools for taking her in."**_

_** "She is a warrior, Cryan." Leonidas argued, though he knew it was futile. "She's a respected young woman. Why can you not see how well she was raised?"**_

_** "If she were a Spartan, she wouldn't have let her mother die!"**_

_** "No one let your wife die, Cryan! She was ill and our medicine was not enough to save her. No one could have helped her. What you're doing to your child now is criminal. She's out there somewhere, injured and alone."**_

_** "Good." Cryan snapped. "I hope that the wolves find her."**_

_** "Can you even hear yourself, Cryan? You were once a great warrior with a loyal heart. You are lost in your own bitterness."**_

_** "Who are you to tell me what I am? You have no right to speak to me in such a way!"**_

_** "I am your King, Cryan. I will not be talked to in such a way. Watch your tongue."**_

_** "You are not my King. My king would not tell me what I can and can not do with my own blood." Cryan shouted as he withdrew his sword and took a clumsy swing at Leonidas. The king only stepped to the side and frowned as he reached out and shoved the man back with both hands.**_

_** "Cryan, think about what you are doing." Leonidas warned with a grave tone.**_

_** "You will not speak to me as if I am a worthless boy!" Cryan shouted again as he took another swing at the king.**_

_** Leonidas had lost his patience with this man. So far gone that he was willing to threaten their king. There was no redemption from such a lapse of character. He drew his own sword and took a swing at the older man, catching him across the chest. The metallic smell of blood filled the air. Cryan did not seem to notice his wound as he raised his sword again. Leonidas blocked with his own sword before pushing the blade away. With his free hand, he raised a fist and caught the older man in the side of the face. He felt bones crunch beneath his knuckles. Cryan gave no sign of pain as he swung again. Leonidas only pushed his sword forward and cut through the older mans chest as if it were butter. Cryan gagged slightly as blood began to ooze from his mouth. He looked up at Leonidas and his eyes looked hollow. He fell to the ground without a single sound. Leonidas withdrew his weapon and did not say a word. He only left the house, while it was still dark. He was thankful that Stelios and Sybil did not arrive to see this horrific event. It pained him to kill one of his own, but he had to think about what was best for everyone. Preservation of Spartans as a whole was much more important than the life of one man.**_

Sybil grit her teeth in pain as she sat, naked within a tub of water. It was hot water, which was something she was not used to.

The room was large and made out of beautifully carved stone. There were no windows, but that was good. Three stone tubs sat in the room, two of which were empty. Sybil had only ever seen the communal bathhouse. Being able to bathe all by herself without anyone gossiping around her was lovely. Gorgo sat on the edge of the tub with a cloth in her hand. She was doing her best to gently clean all of Sybil's wounds to prevent infections.

** "You are very brave." Gorgo said softly as she started running her fingers through the younger girl's hair, attempting to get the knots and dried blood out.**

** "I am not brave…" Sybil said softly as she shook her head. "I don't know what I am anymore. Stelios is in the barracks; I have not even seen him since our father's death. I did not even see my father's body. It was gone early this morning, very early. I wonder what happened… All I know is that there was so much blood."**

** "What happened to Cryan was a result of his own poor behavior." Gorgo said sternly. "We all saw his mind slipping, but there was nothing we could do about it. However, the moment he began trying to kill his own children, we knew this would happen, one way or another."**

** "Thank you…" Sybil said softly. "Thank you for taking me in. I do not deserve such kindness…"**

** "This is not kindness, but respect. We respect you as a warrior and as a Spartan. You deserve the same chance that anyone else gets to have a good upbringing-"**

** "No. I mean… Thank you, for keeping me safe from the Ephors. My only fear was to be kept as a slave. I would rather die in battle than have to live my life as one of their whores… Their 'oracle'." She said with a bitter laugh before hugging her knees. "I would never get a family if they had taken me."**

** "You're welcome, Sybil. I wish I could have found a way that did not sacrifice your reputation, but time was short. I did what was within my power to save you. Leonidas even agreed to let me help you, albeit reluctantly." Gorgo said with a small laugh before running her fingers through Sybil's hair. It was clean now and much softer.**

** "My reputation can be mended by my actions. I do not fear that. I will only do my best to prove myself a worthy Spartan. After time, people will forget what has happened."**

** "What about when it is time for you to marry? This may seem small, but it is a thing that men remember."**

** "I do not fear for my future…" Sybil said softly as a small smile crossed her swollen lips. "I've already been found by one who says he loves me… I don't think that he spins lies. He seems very honest and sincere when he speaks to me. I can almost feel it when he holds my hands…" She muttered softly, trailing off as she got lost within her happy thoughts.**

** "Can you feel it when he kisses you?" Gorgo whispered after leaning down, so that the maids would not hear them.**

** "My Queen, I have never-"**

** "Do not lie to me, Sybil." Gorgo said with a small laugh. "I have eyes and ears all over this city. I know of your moonlit rendezvous."**

** "I can feel it…" Sybil admit softly before turning to look at Gorgo. "You're not upset with me?"**

** "No… You were careful and cautious. Dilios is a good man and a strong warrior. He will make a wonderful husband, one day. You still have a few years left before you need to find a husband. Do not rush it. If he loves you, he will wait. If you love him back, it will be worth the wait, I promise."**

** "I trust you, Gorgo. After all, you do seem very happy to be married to our King."**

** "Would you like to know a secret?" Gorgo said with a smile before she sighed. "I did not like him when we were younger."**

** "Really? I never would have thought…"**

** "I thought that he was arrogant and pompous." Gorgo laughed before shaking her head. "If anyone heard me speaking this way, I am certain they would have my head."**

** "What changed?"**

** "I'm not sure… I don't know if it was he, or if it was I… But suddenly, He was kind. Everything he did made me feel like I was a princess."**

** "And then you became a queen." Sybil smiled. "I remember him leaving presents for you when I was very small and you were still my teacher."**

** "That was when it started… What I'm trying to say is, that he courted me and attempted to win my heart for a full three years before he asked for my hand, even though he was our king."**

** "Really…" Sybil said with a small nod.**

** "Dilios will wait for you, I am certain of it. However, you need to wait for him as well. You need to focus on your studies and your sparring. Become a strong Spartan warrior, a woman worthy of his affection. Do you think you can do that?"**

** "Of course I can. He deserves the best, and I will do everything I can to become what he deserves."**

** "That's the Sybil I know. Now, dry yourself off and head up to bed. Morning comes early and I want you to go back to watching the children tomorrow. You haven't done any of your studies for two days now. I understand that hard times have followed you, but that is no excuse to get out of class."**

** "Yes, my queen." Sybil agreed before standing up and grabbing a cloth that was hanging on the wall beside the stone tub. She dried her skin before dressing herself quickly and brushing her hair back from her neck.**

** "You're a lovely young woman, Sybil." Gorgo said softly as she brushed the younger girls hair slowly. "You will make a wonderful mother, if only you can learn to be patient."**

** "I will do my very best, my queen." Sybil said softly as she tied her dress around her shoulders.**

** "No, no longer queen. We've taken you in, my child." Gorgo said, kissing the younger girl upon the shoulder. "I am mother now. I know I can not replace your real mother, but I will take care of you."**

** "I never knew my real mother…" Sybil said with a sad smile. "I already feel safe within your care."**

** "As you should, now. Go up to bed. Your room is up the ladder, to the left."**

** "Yes ma'am." Sybil said softly before leaving the well-lit room. Once outside, the air was cool against her skin and the floor cold against her feet. She smiled to herself as she walked down the hallway until she reached the ladder. She gripped the smooth, wooden rungs and hoisted herself up. She did not realize how much pain she was in until she started using her muscles. Her left shoulder felt as though it was being stabbed with a spear, but she did not release her grip. She managed to reach the top of the ladder with only minor struggles.**

** Once she reached the top, she smiled to herself. There was a large bed covered in furs and blankets. It was much nicer than the small cot she had before. Across the room was a stone table and small jars of liquid, but she did not know what they were. There was also an ivory hairbrush and other small objects that she did not recognize. To the right of the bed, a yard or two away, was a large opening that was only covered by a thin cloth. She walked toward it and pushed the fabric away gently. She stepped out onto a stone balcony that overlooked most of Sparta.**

** It was absolutely breath taking. All of the lights could be seen from inside of the homes. The moon was bright and full, making everything seem to glow blue. Stars flickered across the Navy sky and danced over the fields of Wheat.**

** "I never thought I would see anything so beautiful in my lifetime…" She muttered to herself softly as she took a few steps forward and rested her hands upon the stone railing. She leaned on it for a few moments, taking deep breaths of the crisp night air.**

** She stood there for what seemed like ages. She could not remember the last time that she did not have to worry or fret. No one was going to hurt her now. She would be able to go back to her studies and work on her skills. She was finally happy with the way things turned out. Best of all, she would not be an Oracle. She had escaped that horrific fate and it would no longer plague her mind. She would be able to rest easily now and focus on her future.**

** The thought of finding a husband was no longer her number one objective. Now that she was safe from the Ephors, she knew that the fear of them was the reason she sought a husband. She had hoped to marry before those men could take her, but it didn't matter now.**

** She smiled to herself and looked down at the ground beneath her. She blinked rapidly for a few moments when she saw a dark shadow lurk between the shadows of the buildings below. She leaned further over the edge only long enough to see the shape disappear into the darkness. She stood up straight and wrapped her arms around herself as a chill went down her spine. She only shook her head, convincing herself that she shadow was nothing. She turned from the balcony and decided that it was time to go to bed. She had to get up early to continue her studies anyway.**

** "My king, it is good to see you home." Gorgo said with a playful smile as she took her golden accessories out of her raven hair. "I have Sybil all settled in to bed. She already seems happier here than she ever was with Cyran."**

** "Aye, I bet she would be." Leonidas agreed tiredly. He sat down on the edge of their large bed and looked across the room at his wife. "I trust that she will enjoy her stay here. She is quite a few years from marriage still. How old is she, Gorgo?"**

** "She's only but seventeen summers…" Gorgo responded softly as she ran her fingers through her thick hair. "She still has a few left until marriage is a possibility for her. I want her to fine-tune her sewing, washing, fighting and cooking. She needs to know how to take care of a family when the time comes. When that day is upon us, despite what has happened today, I fear that men will be practically knocking down our door to ask for her hand." She laughed heartedly.**

** "I do not doubt that in the least, my queen." He said with a small chuckle. "However, I believe her heart is already set. It would be cruel to deny her that now, don't you think?"**

** "Perhaps, but she has a few years left. We will see how they feel about one another after the initial attraction wears off. If they can remain loyal to one another, despite the hardships that have passed and likely will continue to pass… No power on this earth could separate them."**

** "Only time will tell now, but we should not dwell on such things. It is not our place, not yet." He said with a small smile before he removed his cloak and laid it down upon the bed. "We should really get some sleep."**

** "Sleep? Already?" She said with a small smile before she sat beside him and placed a hand on his knee before leaning over to kiss his bearded cheek. "Are you sure?"**

** "Perhaps not, if you have something better to offer." He said with a smile as he turned to kiss his queen.**


	6. Chapter 6

Four years had passed since Sybil had narrowly avoided the Ephors. Four years since Queen Gorgo shattered her reputation. Four years of toil and dedication to repairing how everyone saw her. Not a single Spartan regret having her stay in Sparta. She was at the top of her class, in nearly every subject. Her sewing and weaving was swift and effortless. Her skill with a weapon was unmatched. She was even teaching her own classes on form and stance.

True, her training was less rigorous as the males, but it was still trying and exhausting. Each and every time she was put in a sparring ring, with any sort of weapon, or even hand to hand, she came out victorious. No one was able to subdue her, not even when she was outnumbered. The highest they ever went was putting four other women against her, all of who fell.

Leonidas never said the words aloud, not even to Gorgo, but he could not be more proud to have Sybil under his roof. She had proven herself time and time again to be the truest of Spartans. Every time he caught wind of her accomplishments, his heart would swell with pride. He was a fool for being so reluctant to take her in. Gorgo clearly knew what was best, for everyone involved. The time had come, when Spartans were coming to his door, seeking her hand in marriage. There were dozens of offers, but he had not answered a single one. He knew there was one Sybil was hoping for. He would wait until months end before making his decision.

Now, he stood on the outskirts of the training fields. The faint breeze blew the dust from the sand in spirals in the air. The men were sparring now, and the women were after. Sybil stood near him, to his left, but back a few steps. She was there to train the women in combat. He had insisted upon it. He could see her shake her head every so often as she watched the men. He knew that she was watching their form and clearly being disappointed by it. He could not help but smile to himself as he turned slightly to face her. He nodded his head for her to step forward. She did so without question as she continued to watch. She held her hands in front of herself. Her shoulders were back and she stood with perfect form. She did not turn to speak to him, not yet.

"What do you think of them, Sybil?" Leonidas asked softly, scanning over the two men before looking over at her. He was amazed at how much she had matured in the last few years. Her face was much more stern than it was, but still lovely. Her hair had grown so long that it nearly reached her hips. Her hips were wide and her form was very long and lean. She looked almost as muscular and fit as his men. If it were not for her very prominent womanly features, one may be confused.

"I think their form needs work." Sybil said bluntly as she watched, still shaking her head. "They are like stone, never moving their feet. When they get hit, it hits hard. They do not roll their shoulders or let themselves slide. Strength is important, but is it necessary to take more damage than necessary?" She questioned before turning to look at him. "Not all of their form is awful." She said softly, trying to redeem herself. "But I think a few of them need work."

"Would you like to lead by example?" Leonidas suggested. He would not normally throw a woman into the ring with men, but he had confidence that she would not be defeated so easily, if at all. He thought this would give his men a chance to see that strength is important, but skill is also.

"I would be honored to have the chance." She replied confidently, nodding her head slightly. "Who would you like me to spar with, My King?" She questioned as she looked through the rows of men who stood around the sand arena. Her eyes lingered for a moment over Dilios, but she did not let it affect her.

The years had not lessened their affections for one another. Soon, Dilios would be leaving the barracks and seeking a wife. Sybil knew that he was going to ask Leonidas for her hand, but she was patient. They would still meet on the rooftop, sometimes, but their secret meetings grew more infrequent as time drew on. They were both too caught up with trying to finish their learning. During times of hardship, she would think back to their first night. The way he had held her and kissed her. He promised her that he would love her. She did not believe him then, but now, she knew his words were truth. Years had passed and even through her shattered reputation, he still stood by her. He was a good man, and she wanted no other man as a husband. She prayed that Leonidas would give her that chance.

"Stelios!" Leonidas called suddenly. Sybil felt her heart skip a beat, but she did not let it show. She and her brother had grown increasingly more distant after the passing of her father. She had even heard rumor for some time that he was going to we Nikita, but she had not asked her friend about the allegations. She knew that Nikita was not fond of Stelios, and no amount of time was going to change it. "Enter the ring."

"My King." Stelios responded as he stepped into the sand, causing small bursts of dust with each step, which were rapidly carried away by the wind. He stood in the center as the previous competitors stepped to the sidelines to drink water and to wash their wounds. Stelios arched his back slightly and stood at attention.

"You will be sparring with Sybil." Leonidas added calmly. Sybil nodded her head before she also stepped into the ring, facing her brother. Her face was hard, not showing him any sign of mercy or weakness. He looked at her with the same determination and fire as herself.

"You desire me to fight a woman?" Stelios scoffed as he looked passed her, toward Leonidas. The look on his face was playful. A smile crossed his lips before he shook his head. "It's not a fair fight, My King."

"If you are frightened, Spartan, please feel free to leave the ring." Sybil said with a small smile as she watched him. She even stepped aside and held her arm out, as if to escort him. The smile quickly left his face when he turned to face her. Despite his training, she was his sister. He did not want to injure her. He knew of her skill, but he did not believe she was as good as everyone believed. Rumors got out of hand so quickly. However, if Leonidas put her in the ring, perhaps she wasn't a terrible fighter.

"This will be hand to hand. No weapons. No armor. Start when ever you are ready." Leonidas advised before crossing his arms over his chest. He was actually quite interested in seeing how this fight would pan out. He would place bets on Sybil if he could do so unbiased. However, he knew that Stelios was among his top fighters as well.

"Yes, My Ki-" Stelios started before Sybil's fist caught his jaw. He recoiled and regained his footing as he watched her. He had not even seen her move. He wiped his mouth of the trickle of blood and frowned. He had not expected her attack so sudden. He took a step to the side, and she mirrored him. It went on like that for a few, long minutes. All they could hear was the breathing of one another. Everything else around them seemed to fade away.

Stelios finally charged, reaching for her. She evaded his grasp gracefully while pushing her leg out to catch his. As soon as his shin hit hers, she grabbed his shoulder and pushed. The combination of force sent him reeling to the ground. She stood up straight and backed away from him, careful not to let his legs catch hers.

He groaned as his back hit the hot sand. He stood quickly and glared at her. He did not know where she got these skills for combat. He decided that his movements were too strong. She was a woman and could see them coming. She would avoid them rather than take the hit.

"Some fighter you are, avoiding all of my attacks. You are a coward." Stelios spat at her coldly.

"Do not blame your inability to land a blow on me, Spartan." Sybil laughed dryly. "Try again, I'll let you hit me this time." At her words, a few men on the sides began to laugh. Stelios grimaced as his blood began to boil. He moved more slowly this time as he approached her. He raised his arm and swung. He felt her skin contact with his fist, but it did not stick. She rolled her shoulder back the moment he touched her. She grabbed his arm and turned, using his weight against him, and flipped him over her shoulder.

He stood up quickly again and turned to face her.  
She turned to face him, but he was already standing. His fist caught her center mass. She gasped as the pain coursed through her from her stomach. She clenched her teeth as she raised her fist, catching him across the jaw again. She could feel the blood spray from his mouth as she broke the skin.

The fight went on like this until the sun was no longer high in the sky. The evening was approaching and the sky looked like fire. Leonidas thought about ending the fight, but knew that he could not. Depending on who had landed the last blow, they would think he was taking sides. He decided his confidence was well placed.

Sybil was growing weary, but she could tell that Stelios was also losing his vigor. She knew that she had to do something, or this fight would not end. She decided that one, firm hit to his head should be enough to keep him on the ground.

"You look weary. Perhaps you would like to surrender?" Stelios laughed breathlessly as he watched her. He would not let himself wince in pain; he would not let her see it. His ribcage was badly bruised; one of his eyes was starting to swell shut. Blood stained his skin and face.

"I was going to suggest the same to you, Spartan." Sybil snapped back, laughing heartedly as she stepped nearer to him. Her knuckles were bloodied from the contact impact. Her lip was swollen and her left brow was bleeding a slow trickle down her face. "If you stop now, no one will blame you." She suggested before flexing her hands. Her legs were starting to grow weak from the exertion, but she would not let him have this victory. Not today. She could feel that one of her ribs was likely broken, but she would know that for sure when she had time to inspect. For now, she was going to win this fight, even if it killed her.

Stelios' face grew hard again as he charged her again. He caught her in the chest with his fist, but she caught him in the temple with hers. He stumbled for a moment before falling to the ground. Sybil stood back and gasped for air, having had the wind knocked from her lungs. She clutched her chest before looking back at Leonidas. She walked toward him and did not look back at her brother.

"The fight is over." She whispered hoarsely as she walked passed him. "There will be no training tonight." She advised the other girls before she continued walking.

Behind her, she could hear the men begin to whisper. Two of them went to the aid of Stelios, carrying him from the arena. Others whispered about how shameful it is to lose a fight to a woman. Leonidas heard their whispers and frowned to himself.

"Silence!" He shouted angrily as he scanned over his men. "This defeat was not shameful." He growled. "Stelios fought valiantly until he could no longer. Sybil is not a woman. She is a Spartan and a Warrior. Her victory should be celebrated, for it was well earned. Do not pity or mock Stelios. He is one of the best warriors we have. Any one of you could have faired the same in the ring with Sybil. Perhaps you will, for I am putting her in this training class. I believe she deserves the chance to fight along side those who match her skills." He said firmly before he nodded his head. "For now, it is late. Return to the barracks and tend to your injuries. I will see you at sunrise."

Leonidas was disappointed, but not in Sybil. His disappointment lay with his men. How could they look down upon one of their own in such a way? Had he really failed in trying to train them to be equal? Sparta was the best place for women, but he now felt like they were falling into the trend of Athens. He would put an end to it.

Sybil winced slightly as she sat down at the well in the center of the city. She looked down at her reflection and laughed. Dried blood caked the left side of her face. Her right eye was starting to swell shut and her lip was very swollen and starting to crack. She sighed as she dipped her hands into the cool liquid. She lifted it to her face and began to wash the blood from her bruised skin.

"You fought well today, Sybil." A familiar voice called from behind her. She only smiled to herself without turning to face him. She brushed her hair back from her face and shifted her shoulders.

"I would have tried to make myself look more presentable if I knew you were going to come see me." She laughed playfully before turning to gaze upon him. He smiled as he approached her. He sat down across from her and sighed as he reached out to grip her chin. He turned her head gently as he examined her.

"Stelios really did fight hard, didn't he?" Dilios said with a sigh before he grabbed the cloth he had brought with him. He dipped it in the water before lifting his hand to her face. He began to gentle dab at the blood as he watched her. She had grown into a beautiful woman and he felt for her deeply. He wished he could express all his words of love. He wanted to lean forward and kiss her, but knew he couldn't. He wanted to caress her every curve and feel her skin against his own. Though they were not married, he was hopeful. His time in the barracks was nearly complete. When he was free to leave, the first thing he was going to do was see Leonidas. He was going to request marriage to Sybil. He would settle for no one else.

"Of course he did. He is my brother. He is a strong warrior, but his form needs more focus." She said before wincing slightly as he made contact with her bruised skin. She looked at him and placed her hand on the stone beneath them. The tips of her fingers just barely touched the skin of his thigh. She saw a small smile form on the corner of his lips as he felt her. He took a deep breath and pulled his hand away from her.

"Do you remember when we were younger?" He questioned softly. The sun had started to set around them. Few Spartans were walking the streets. He felt safe speaking to her so casually. Everyone knew that they were fond of one another, but no one minded, since they knew how to hide their affections during the daylight hours.

"Of course I remember." She whispered sweetly as she took a small breath. She winced when her ribs expanded. She didn't think her ribs were broken, but definitely badly bruised. "I remember waking up so early to start my chores, just in hopes that I would see you. I was a silly girl then, Dilios." She admitted sweetly. "I used to think that being a wife and mother was all I would be good for. I thought it was the only way to make my father happy."

"What do you think now?" He asked softly as he placed the damp cloth on his thigh. It was cool to the touch and he sighed as he looked at her. "You're going to need to puncture your lip before it splits."

"I think I enjoy being strong. I like being able to hold my own against men. I want to be more than just a woman who raises children. I want to be a warrior who is capable of defending them."

"You do not need to worry about that, Sybil. You are one of the strongest warriors I have seen in a long time. Any Spartan would be happy to live, and die at your side. I know that I would." He said breathed as he leaned toward her. She slowly leaned toward him before gently placing a hand on his chest. She could hardly believe his forwardness.

"Dilios." She sighed softly. "We can't do this, you know that." She said before standing. "Have a good evening, Spartan." She said firmly before she turned from him and walked back toward her home.

Dilios just sat there as she walked away. He knew he should not have tried to kiss her, but he could not stop himself. He had waited so long to see her. He had good news to tell her, but she didn't even give him the chance. He sighed and decided it was best that she not know the news.

It pained her to walk away from him. She couldn't remember the last time she felt the comforting touch of his lips against hers. She missed him holding her tightly as they stared at the navy sky, counting the endless stars. She still longed for the day that they could be together and enjoy each other's company. She hoped that Leonidas would agree when it came time for her to wed.

"Sybil!" A disapproving woman's voice called as she approached her home. Sybil turned to see Queen Gorgo hurrying toward her. The older woman grabbed her arm and dragged her into their home. Her grip was painful but that was from Sybil's previous injuries. She knew there was nothing she could say to defend herself. She should not have been fighting, not with men. "What on earth happened to you? You look positively dreadful. I thought you were teaching the classes, not participating in them." Gorgo said hurriedly as she tried to examine the girl's wounds.

"I was, my Queen." Sybil explained softly. She looked down, too ashamed to look her in the eye. "I arrived early, before the men completed their training. I couldn't help but notice the men's form was… Lacking. I did what anyone would do. I advised King Leonidas that their form needed work. He asked me to lead by example and told me to enter the training arena."

"He asked you to what?" Gorgo asked angrily as she pulled Sybil into her room. She sat the girl down on the carved, wooden chair that sat beside her desk. Gorgo sighed as she looked down at the younger girl. Despite her newly inflicted wounds, she was still one of the loveliest girls in Sparta. She sat across from her and touched her face gently. Sybil winced at the Queen's soft touch but did not shy away. "Your pretty face is going to be bruised for weeks." She said before shaking her head.

She took a sewing needle from the desk and gently pricked Sybil's lip. The blood began to flow quickly as the swelling diminished. Sybil could feel the pressure disappear as the hot liquid traced her skin. Gorgo grabbed a small rag from the desk and wiped the blood away.

"Do not be upset with him, Gorgo." Sybil pleaded softly. She gently placed a hand on the Queen's wrist and tried to smile. "I was so proud to be able to fight for him today. He seemed very pleased with me for performing so well. He wants to have me join the men's class. I really want to-"

"My dearest dove." Gorgo sighed softly as she cupped the younger girls face, trying not to harm her any further. "You're to be married soon. I would like your face to be pretty on your wedding night, wouldn't you? I am sure your future husband would appreciate it also."

"Has… Has he-" Sybil whispered softly, unable to finish her words. She felt so weak, her words getting caught in her throat. She knew that several men had asked for her, but she did not know if Dilios had yet. Even today, when she saw him, he said nothing of marriage.

"Hush now, love." Gorgo urged kindly. "Do not worry about who has asked for your hand and who hasn't-"

"I know how they've come flocking to the door for me, Gorgo. Most of them do not bother to hide their desires. I see their eyes searching over me while I train or weave or even when I'm watching the children. I know what lurks in their hearts. Good men as they are, they still have desires that need to be met. Most could care less that I am a warrior, for I am beautiful. Dilios has not been freed of the barracks yet. What if Leonidas chooses a husband for me before-"

"Sybil." Gorgo said more sternly this time, leaving no room for argument. "Do not think of it. I do not think Leonidas would do that to you, not after everything that has happened. I think he will at least wait until Dilios has served his time. If he doesn't come for you once he leaves the barracks, then we will know what kind of man he is."

"I know. I should not doubt him and I should not doubt Leonidas' decision." Sybil said sternly as she looked down at her hands. She couldn't believe how much blood was on them. She wondered whose it was, hers or Stelios'? "I think that I should probably try to rest."

"I think you are correct." Gorgo said before standing and kissing the girl on her forehead tenderly. She really was proud to be the guardian of Sybil. She had grown up to be a fine young woman, even if a touch bullheaded. "I do hope you rest well." She said before swiftly exiting the room, shutting the door behind herself.

Sybil sighed as she stood up. She groaned softly in pain. All of her muscles were stiff and sore. Every bruise and pulled muscle throbbed and ached. She slowly crossed her room to stand beside her bed. She dipped her hands into the metal bowl of water that sat on the small table beside her bed. The sensation was cooling over her hands. She slowly washed off the dried blood. The damage to her knuckles was not as severe as she had anticipated. Once her hands and arms were clean, she quickly washed her face, trying to get the bloodstains out. She could not scrub too thoroughly, due to the wounds.

Gorgo went to the larger, main room of their home and sighed when she saw Leonidas, sitting outside on the stone bench. She slowly walked between the stone pillars, making her way toward him. He was staring up at the moon. It made his face look ghostly. He was obviously contemplating something. She stepped outside and stood in their doorway, leaning against it as she joined his gazing.

"How did she fair in the ring with men?" Gorgo questioned quietly before looking over at her husband. The look on his face was very stern. He nodded his head before he sat up straight. She watched him carefully. She knew they had much to talk about, most of which involved Sybil.

"She did astonishing." Leonidas admitted as he looked over at Gorgo, a faint smile across his lips. "She did not only stand her own, but she won. She won, and I sparred her against Stelios-"

"You paired her against her own brother to test her strength?" Gorgo asked before nodding her head. She wanted to be upset, but knew that she could not. His tactic was perfect. "That would be the best way, I suppose. I am pleased that she has done well, but did you have to do it so soon? You know that she is coming of age, Leonidas. Soon, she will need to take a husband."

"Aye, and she will." Leonidas assured her. He had not forgotten about his duty as this girl's protector. He was going to find her a proper husband, whether she liked it or not. "You have seen the flocks of Spartan's arrive at our door, my Queen. Despite what happened in her younger years, the men do not seem to mind."

"Of course they don't care." Gorgo scoffed with a playful smile. "She is a beautiful woman with wide hips and good health. She will bear strong children, who will be wonderful warriors if they are half as strong as she. I do not doubt that every warrior would want to make her a wife. However, I believe she will only be happy if her heart is united with the one she seeks. You know of whom I speak."

"Indeed I do." Leonidas responded. His voice sounded distant as he looked off into the darkness. Gorgo watched him, slightly confused for a few moments before turning to look into the shadows, just soon enough to see a figure approaching.

"My King." Dilios called respectfully as he approached. He held his helmet under his right arm. He stood straight and had his crimson on his back. He kept his head high as he looked at them. He showed no sign of fear or distress. He knew what he had come here for, and he was not going to let anything stop him.

"At ease, solider." Leonidas said as he raised a hand. "What brings you here at his hour, Dilios? Should you not be in the barracks?"

"My King today is my thirtieth year." Dilios informed him confidently. "I would like to request permission to marry Sybil."

"I thought you would be coming. You're not the first man to ask for her hand, nor the most respected of warriors. You are a good friend and a loyal soldier, but what makes you think you are worthy of being her husband?" Leonidas questioned, his voice hard and cold. Gorgo shifted her eyes to look at him for only a moment before looking back at Dilios. She wondered what Leonidas was doing.

"Sire, I believe that I would be the most capable of protecting her. I would cherish her and respect her. She would be respected and loved if she were to be with me."

"Love?" Leonidas scoffed before he stood up. He stood closer to the other man and frowned deeply. He looked down at Dilios, standing at his full height. Dilios did not flinch as he looked up at the man. "Love is not going to save her in times of war. Love is not going to feed her and your children. Love will not be enough for you to be a good husband, not for her."

"Love. There is no room for weakness, not in Sparta. I know this, however, I can not help what I feel for her." Dilios said sternly. "No one will ever be able to feel for her the way that I do. She is on my mind before I go to sleep and when I awake. I am a good man and I give her space. I do not want to risk her reputation, or mine. I will do what I must to prove to you that I am worthy of being her husband. I would give my last breath to ensure her safety. I would risk my good name if it were to keep her from harm. I would kill any man who dare touch her."

"I do not doubt this. I've come up with a way to have you prove your strength, Dilios. That can wait until the morning. For now, you should go to your home and sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day." Leonidas advised him with a smile.

"Yes, My King." Dilios said with a respectful bow of his head. He nodded toward Queen Gorgo. "My Queen." He said before he turned from them and began walking into the darkness. He was pleased with how the meeting had gone. He had heard rumor that many men were questioned much more severely. A few of them were even mocked and forced away. He was pleased that Leonidas did not think poorly of him.

Once he was gone from sight, Gorgo could not help but to laugh softly as she looked at her husband. She was happy that the meeting had gone well. However, her favorite was the younger man who nearly tripped over himself when trying to approach them. It almost made her laugh.

"We had been expecting him. He gave a good argument, I think." Gorgo said softly as she sat down beside her husband.

"Did he, my Queen?" Leonidas laughed heartedly as he turned to face her. He cupped her cheek tenderly before leaning down to kiss her. Their lips met passionately for a few moments before he pulled away.

"What will a man fight for if not for his love? Love of his home, his country, and his family." Gorgo said with a tender smile as she placed her hands on her husband's chest. His skin was hot and she could feel his heart beat against her palms as she looked up at him.

"Those are all worthy things to fight for. However, Dilios is not the only man willing to fight for his country, his family and his home. There are several who would be willing to live and die for these things. How can we know that Dilios is the best match for her without testing him?"

"I have a feeling that you already have something in mind for a test, my dear husband." Gorgo teased softly.

"Aye, I've been thinking on this for a few days." Leonidas admit softly before slowly standing. "I have the perfect plan, by sunset tomorrow, her husband will have been chosen."

"May I ask what you intend to do, my love?" Gorgo questioned curiously.

"You may not, not yet. You and everyone else will find out tomorrow, early. I believe that almost everyone will be pleased with my decision. I know that there has not been one like it, not for marriage." He said with a devious smile. "For now, I believe that you and I should get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day, for everyone."

Sybil had taken off her blood-splattered clothes and hung them over the back of her chair. She slowly pulled open the heavy, wooden door that lead to her balcony. She felt the rush of cool night air rush against her bare skin. She took a sharp breath and smiled to herself. The stones were cold against her feet. She stood calmly as she looked over the sleepy city. The stars were dancing across the black sky. The moon was full and giving everything a blue hue.

"You look lovely this evening." Dilios whispered from her left. She gasped and turned to face him, crossing her arms over her chest. She may have been a strong warrior, but even she felt exposed under these conditions. She fought to keep the blush from her face as she looked at him. He must have climbed up to see her.

"What are you doing here, Spartan?" She demanded coldly while glaring at him. "You should be in the barracks. Rest well, for it may be you that the king requests I fight next." She warned.

"I wanted to let you know that I just spoke with Leonidas." He explained as he slowly walked toward her. He removed the crimson from his back and gently draped it over her shoulders, so she would feel more comfortable. She grabbed the fabric and held it tightly around her shoulders, hiding herself from him.

"What business did you have with our king?" She asked, her tone growing tender.

"Business concerning you." He whispered as he lifted a hand to her cheek, brushing her skin with the back of his hand. "I left the barracks today."

"You… you left the barracks?" She whispered as her eyes searched his face. "Does that mean you-"

"Yes, I can seek a wife. I want my wife to be you, or no one at all. I've dreamed of you for too long to let you go now. Not when I am so close." He breathed his words as he stepped closer to her. "I was trying to whisper this to you earlier, at the well… But you pushed me from you."

"I thought…" She started before shaking her head. "It does not matter what I thought. What matters is that you are here."

"I am here. I will always be here. The king himself will not be able to keep you from me, not now." He promised her before placing his hand on the back of her neck, twining his fingers in her hair. "I swear it on my life."

"Good." She said sternly as she slowly released his crimson before she placed her hands on his shoulders. She breathed in the smell of him and gripped him tighter as she stepped closer. She could feel her breasts pressing against his chest. The action caused him to shutter before leaning down and claiming her mouth. She moaned against his lips and gripped his hair tightly before she finally pulled back from him.

"Dilios." She breathed. "We shouldn't, not yet…"

"I don't care." He groaned against her lips before kissing her again, deeply. He forced his tongue between her lips and explored every crevice of her mouth. She moaned into him desperately as she swirled her tongue around his. She could not hide the blush from her face now as he held her, naked in the moonlight.

They continued this way, for far longer than either of them deemed wise, but they did not care. It had been so long since they had felt the comfort of each other. It was getting harder and harder not to let themselves submit completely to carnal instinct.

"You must go." She whispered finally. The moon had crossed the sky and she knew that dawn was few hours away now. "We both need our rest. I join the men's training class tomorrow. I will need my strength."

"I pity the next man who fights against you." He said sweetly before kissing her forehead. His kiss was slow and he lingered, not wanting to leave her. "I will always bet my money on you." He assured her.

"I know you will. What if I am to fight you, my dearest Dilios?" She whispered as she raised her hand to trace a finger across his lips.

"I expect no mercy, nor will I give it. May the best warrior win."

"Good man." She agreed before she forced herself to release him. She slowly leaned down to grab his crimson. She looked up at him as she lowered. He wanted to grab her head, but knew he shouldn't. He could demand nothing of her, not yet. He would wait patiently to bed her, until the time was right. She stood and handed the red cloak to him with a smile. "Run along now, Spartan."

Without another word, they turned from one another. Dilios began his descent down her wall. She walked back into her bedroom and shut the large door behind herself. She leaned against it for a few moments, holding her hands over her chest. She had not realized how quickly her heart was beating. She could not stop smiling as she sat down on the edge of her bed. She laid back and stared at the ceiling before closing her eyes and drifting into sleep.


End file.
